Long-lasting improvements in health-related quality of life among women with chronic pain, following multidisciplinary rehabilitation.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether improvements in health-related quality of life and pain intensity from a multidisciplinary pain management program, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, were sustained at six-month follow-up.
Results Summary
Both the traditional and new approaches (including mindfulness) showed sustained improvements in pain intensity and quality of life at six months, with the new approach showing less decline in pain intensity. Sleep improvements were not sustained in the traditional group, but other domains remained stable.
Population
Women with chronic pain conditions.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Four-week intervention, six-month follow-up
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
traditional multidisciplinary pain management program | decrease | pain intensity | women with chronic pain conditions | -10.6 | showed sustained improvements | #1 |
traditional multidisciplinary pain management program | increase | quality of life | women with chronic pain conditions | 6.4 | showed sustained improvements | #2 |
traditional multidisciplinary pain management program | no change | sleep | women with chronic pain conditions | 2.4 | was not sustained | #3 |
neuroscience education and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chronic pain | decrease | pain intensity | women with chronic pain conditions | -14.5 | showed sustained improvements | #4 |
neuroscience education and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chronic pain | increase | quality of life | women with chronic pain conditions | 6.9 | showed sustained improvements | #5 |
multidisciplinary interventions | increase | quality of life | women with chronic pain conditions | - | improved | #6 |
multidisciplinary interventions | decrease | pain intensity | women with chronic pain conditions | - | improved | #7 |
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and neuroscience patient education | decrease | pain intensity | women with chronic pain conditions | - | may contribute to less decline | #8 |
PURPOSE: To determine whether observed health-related quality-of-life improvements after four-week traditional multidisciplinary pain management program and additional neuroscience education and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chronic pain are sustained at six-month follow-up. METHOD: This observational longitudinal follow-up study, with complete follow-up of 75 women, 61.5% of initial traditional approach group (treated 2001-2005) and 56 (62.2%) receiving the new approach (treated 2006-2009). Pain intensity and quality of life were measured at baseline and six months after interventions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired samples t-tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Both groups showed sustained improvements in pain intensity (traditional approach = -10.6 [p < 0.001]; new approach = -14.5 [p < 0.001]) and quality of life (traditional approach = 6.4 [p < 0.001]; new approach = 6.9 [p < 0.001]). Sleep was not sustained among traditional approach group (change = 2.4 [p = 0.066]), whereas all other domains among both groups were sustained. Significant decline was observed from discharge to six month among both groups with the exception of the sleep domain among the traditional approach group, pain intensity among the new approach and financial status among both groups. No baseline differences were revealed between responders and nonresponders. CONCLUSIONS: Multidisciplinary interventions for women with chronic pain conditions improved quality of life and pain intensity with lasting improvements observed half a year after treatment completion. Implications for rehabilitation Intensive multidisciplinary biopsychosocial rehabilitation is essential for chronic pain conditions. This follow-up study shows sustained improvement in health-related quality of life and pain intensity six months after such rehabilitation was completed. Emphasizing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and neuroscience patient education may contribute to less decline in pain intensity from discharge to six-month follow-up compared with a more traditional approach.