The multi-dimensional stigma of chronic pain: A narrative review.

Accumulating evidence suggests that stigma is a pervasive and pernicious psychosocial phenomenon that affects people living with chronic pain. In this narrative review, we describe the nature of stigma experienced by people with chronic pain and discuss its multifaceted determinants. These determinants include features of pain itself and intersectional factors, including comorbid conditions and social marginalization.

Weight discrimination partially mediates the longitudinal relationship between Body Mass Index and pain.

Pain is common among individuals with high Body Mass Index (BMI). This study investigated weight discrimination as a mediator of the longitudinal relationship between BMI and the presence of moderate/severe pain among adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) cohort. ELSA is a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults living in England.

A systematic review with meta-analyses of the association between stigma and chronic pain outcomes.

Stigma is common in people experiencing chronic pain and there are indications that it may adversely affect pain outcomes. However, to date, there is no systematic review exploring the impact of stigma on chronic pain-related outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the association between stigma and key chronic pain outcomes and differences in stigma between pain conditions.

Evaluating the feasibility of delivering a pain management programme for adults living with sickle cell disease.

Background: Pain is the prominent feature of sickle cell disease (SCD) and negatively affects quality of life. Delivery of pain management programmes (PMPs) has been suggested in clinical guidelines for pain management in SCD; however, further evidence of the feasibility and effectiveness of PMPs in this population is needed. This study explored the feasibility of delivering a sickle cell pain management programme (SCPMP) for adults within a haemoglobinopathies service.

Priorities for HIV and chronic pain research: results from a survey of individuals with lived experience.

The Global Task Force on Chronic Pain in HIV published seven research priorities in the field of HIV-associated chronic pain in 2019: (1) causes; (2) management; (3) treatment individualization and integration with addiction treatment; (4) mental and social health factors; (5) prevalence; (6) treatment cost effectiveness; and (7) prevention. The current study used a web-based survey to determine whether the research topics were aligned with the priorities of adults with lived experiences of HIV and chronic pain. We also collected information about respondents' own pain and treatment experiences.

An investigation of the associations between stigma, self-compassion, and pain outcomes during treatment based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for chronic pain.

Introduction: Stigma adversely affects people with chronic pain. The qualities within self-compassion may be particularly useful for buffering the impact of stigma on people with pain. In the context of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based (ACT) treatment for chronic pain, this study investigated the association between changes in stigma and self-compassion and pain outcomes, and the potential moderating role of self-compassion on the association between stigma and pain outcomes.

The Effectiveness of Interventions for Improving Chronic Pain Symptoms Among People With Mental Illness: A Systematic Review.

Chronic pain (CP) and mental illness (MI) are leading causes of years lived with disability and commonly co-occur. However, it remains unclear if available interventions are effective in improving pain outcomes in patients with co-existing CP and MI. This systematic review synthesised evidence for the effectiveness of interventions to improve pain outcomes for people with comorbid CP and clinically diagnosed MI.

An online acceptance, commitment, and self-compassion based treatment to decrease psychological distress in people with type 2 diabetes: A feasibility randomised-controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: This study explored the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a larger trial of a self-guided, online self-compassion and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) focused treatment among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) to decrease psychological distress.

Materials And Methods: This study was a two-arm, parallel, feasibility randomised controlled trial with nested qualitative methods. UK adults with T2D were randomly (1:1) allocated to a five-week online self-compassion and ACT treatment or waitlist control.

An Observational Study of Outcomes Associated With Virtual Pain Management Programs Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Implemented During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: In response to COVID-19, virtual, group-based interdisciplinary pain management programs (PMPs) were rapidly implemented. This included implementing different intensities and formats of virtual PMPs to address a range of patient needs and complexity. This observational study investigated outcomes associated with virtual high and low-intensity and pre-neuromodulation PMPs based on acceptance and commitment therapy as part of routine care during the pandemic.

An updated audit of the patient selection process for pain management programmes in a speciality care service before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The provision of pain management programmes (PMPs) changed substantially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with virtual delivery implemented in many services. Little is known about patient selection processes for virtual PMPs and how this might differ from in-person programmes. The aim of this audit was to document the patient selection process for PMPs at a speciality pain service prior to and during the pandemic.

Factors predicting the transition from acute to persistent pain in people with 'sciatica': the FORECAST longitudinal prognostic factor cohort study protocol.

Introduction: Sciatica is a common condition and is associated with higher levels of pain, disability, poorer quality of life, and increased use of health resources compared with low back pain alone. Although many patients recover, a third develop persistent sciatica symptoms. It remains unclear, why some patients develop persistent sciatica as none of the traditionally considered clinical parameters (eg, symptom severity, routine MRI) are consistent prognostic factors.

Blinding and sham control methods in trials of physical, psychological, and self-management interventions for pain (article II): a meta-analysis relating methods to trial results.

Sham interventions in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of physical, psychological, and self-management (PPS) therapies for pain are highly variable in design and believed to contribute to poor internal validity. However, it has not been formally tested whether the extent to which sham controls resemble the treatment under investigation consistently affects trial outcomes, such as effect sizes, differential attrition, participant expectancy, and blinding effectiveness. Placebo- or sham-controlled RCTs of PPS interventions of clinical pain populations were searched in 12 databases.

Potential Misfortunes in 'Making Sense': A Cross-Sectional Study in People with Chronic Pain.

Making sense of one's circumstances is normally regarded as helpful, including in the context of chronic pain. However, sense-making may be associated with adverse impacts in daily functioning. To better understand the functions of sense-making, the objective of the current study was to develop, validate, and preliminarily examine a measure of potentially helpful and unhelpful forms of sense-making behavior in people seeking treatment for chronic pain.

Examining the association between group context effects and individual outcomes in an interdisciplinary group-based treatment for chronic pain based on acceptance and commitment therapy.

Background: Although cognitive-behavioural treatments for chronic pain are delivered in groups, there is little research investigating group effects in these treatments.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate associations between group composition variables at the start of treatment and individual outcomes following intensive interdisciplinary treatment for pain based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of routinely collected observational data.

[Remote management of musculoskeletal pain : A pragmatic approach to the implementation of video and phone consultations in musculoskeletal practice. German version].

Introduction: Remote consultations through phone or video are gaining in importance for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain across a range of health care providers. However, there is a plethora of technical options for practitioners to choose from, and there are various challenges in the adaptation of clinical processes as well as several special considerations regarding regulatory context and patient management. Practitioners are faced with a lack of high-quality peer-reviewed resources to guide the planning and practical implementation of remote consultations.

"Living more and struggling less": a qualitative descriptive study of patient experiences of physiotherapy informed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy within a multidisciplinary pain management programme.

Objectives: Physiotherapists increasingly deliver treatment informed by cognitive-behavioural therapy, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), for persistent pain. This study explored patients' experiences of ACT-informed physiotherapy to better understand therapeutic processes and outcomes.

Design: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted.

Predictors of outcomes following interdisciplinary acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain: Profiling psychological flexibility.

Background: Growing evidence demonstrates the benefit of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for people with chronic pain. However, there remain people with chronic pain who do not benefit from ACT, and predicting treatment response is difficult.

Aims: This aim of this study was to investigate if baseline psychological flexibility (PF) profiles predict responses to an ACT-based pain management programme.

Pain management in people with severe mental illness: an agenda for progress.

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.

A 12-month longitudinal study examining the shared and unique contributions of self-compassion and psychological inflexibility to distress and quality of life in people with Type 2 Diabetes.

Objectives: Self-compassion and psychological flexibility appear to benefit wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) in the general population and in people with long-term conditions like Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). However, both variables share similarities and their unique roles in relation to distress and QoL in people with diabetes over time are not clear.

Design: This was a longitudinal study with online assessments of self-compassion, psychological inflexibility, distress (depression, anxiety, diabetes-distress), and QoL at baseline (T1) and six (T2) and 12 months (T3).

Perceived discrimination, health, and well-being among adults with and without pain: a prospective study.

Discrimination negatively influences health and well-being in the general population, but its impact on people with pain is unclear. This study assessed discrimination, health, and well-being in people with and without pain. Data were from 5871 participants from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Measuring 'self': preliminary validation of a short form of the Self Experiences Questionnaire in people with chronic pain.

Background: People with chronic pain often struggle with their sense of self and this can adversely impact their functioning and well-being. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy particularly includes a process related to this struggle with self. A measure for this process, the Self Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ), was previously developed in people with chronic pain.