Do current methods of measuring the impact of chronic pain on work reflect the experience of working-age adults?: An integrated mixed methods systematic narrative review

Anne L  Stagg; Ira  Madan; Nicola S Fear; Martin Stevens; Elaine Wainwright; Jan L.  Hoving; Gary Macfarlane; Rosemary Hollick; Lakrista Morton

doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003169

Do current methods of measuring the impact of chronic pain on work reflect the experience of working-age adults? An integrated mixed methods systematic narrative review

Anne L Stagg, Ira Madan, Nicola S Fear, Martin Stevens, Elaine Wainwright, Jan L. Hoving, Gary Macfarlane, Rosemary Hollick, Lakrista Morton

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Chronic pain affects individuals' work participation. The impact of chronic pain on work has historically been measured through sickness absence, though it is now appreciated that the impacts on work are far wider. This mixed-methods review aimed to identify the full range of impacts of pain on work in addition to impacts that are currently measured quantitatively to inform the development of a new questionnaire assessing the wider impacts of chronic pain on work. MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and CINAHL were searched for studies that included quantitative measures of the impact of chronic pain on work and for qualitative studies where individuals described impacts of their chronic pain on work. Quantitative measures, and text from qualitative studies, were analysed thematically. A thematic framework was developed for establishing the types of impacts measured or described in the literature. Forty-four quantitative and 16 qualitative papers were identified. The literature described impacts within 5 areas: changes at work and to working status; aspects of the workplace and work relationships; pain and related symptoms at work; psychological factors; and factors and impacts outside the work environment related to work. Quantitative measures mainly assessed impacts related to the quantity and quality of work (29 of 42 measures). Seventeen aspects were only discussed within the qualitative literature. This study identifies a discrepancy between the impacts that have been the focus of quantitative measures and the range that individuals working with chronic pain experience and highlights the need for a new measure assessing a wider range of issues.

Original language	English
Journal	Pain
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003169
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 12 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

The authors would like to acknowledge contributions to the QUICK study by members of the study advisory group: Patrice Forget, Siladitya Bhattacharya, Peter Goadsby, Cathy Price, David Coggon, Maureen McAllister, Stephen Bevan.

The work presented in this manuscript was funded by the Medical Research Council (grant MR/V020676/1).

Data Availability Statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

Keywords

Chronic pain
Work
Questionnaire
Development
Mixed-methods review

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Cite this

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title = "Do current methods of measuring the impact of chronic pain on work reflect the experience of working-age adults?: An integrated mixed methods systematic narrative review",

abstract = "Chronic pain affects individuals' work participation. The impact of chronic pain on work has historically been measured through sickness absence, though it is now appreciated that the impacts on work are far wider. This mixed-methods review aimed to identify the full range of impacts of pain on work in addition to impacts that are currently measured quantitatively to inform the development of a new questionnaire assessing the wider impacts of chronic pain on work. MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and CINAHL were searched for studies that included quantitative measures of the impact of chronic pain on work and for qualitative studies where individuals described impacts of their chronic pain on work. Quantitative measures, and text from qualitative studies, were analysed thematically. A thematic framework was developed for establishing the types of impacts measured or described in the literature. Forty-four quantitative and 16 qualitative papers were identified. The literature described impacts within 5 areas: changes at work and to working status; aspects of the workplace and work relationships; pain and related symptoms at work; psychological factors; and factors and impacts outside the work environment related to work. Quantitative measures mainly assessed impacts related to the quantity and quality of work (29 of 42 measures). Seventeen aspects were only discussed within the qualitative literature. This study identifies a discrepancy between the impacts that have been the focus of quantitative measures and the range that individuals working with chronic pain experience and highlights the need for a new measure assessing a wider range of issues.",

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note = "The authors would like to acknowledge contributions to the QUICK study by members of the study advisory group: Patrice Forget, Siladitya Bhattacharya, Peter Goadsby, Cathy Price, David Coggon, Maureen McAllister, Stephen Bevan. The work presented in this manuscript was funded by the Medical Research Council (grant MR/V020676/1).",

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