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The following is a summary of “Enhancing healthcare professionals’ biopsychosocial perspective to chronic pain: assessing the impact of implementing an interdisciplinary training program,” published in the November 2024 issue of Pain by Munneke et al.
Despite advancements in clinical science advocating a biopsychosocial approach, translating this paradigm into clinical practice remains a significant challenge.
Researchers conducted a study to assess the short-term and mid-term impact of an interdisciplinary training program (ITP) on healthcare professionals’ (HCPs’) pain knowledge, attitudes, and guideline-adherent recommendations for chronic pain management.
They recruited Belgian HCPs, medical doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists in primary care. The ITP comprised 2 e-learning modules and 2, 7-hour workshops in 5 cities and aimed to improve HCPs’ biopsychosocial chronic pain management with cognitive behavioral approach competencies. The primary outcomes were changes in pain knowledge, attitudes, and guideline-adherent recommendations (continuation of activity, avoidance of bed rest, and non-opioid treatment) measured through 2 clinical vignettes, assessed pre-ITP, post-ITP, and 6 months post-ITP and the changes were examined by (generalized) linear mixed models.
The results showed that 405 HCPs participated. Pain knowledge and attitude scores improved post-training (Δ = 9.04, 95% CI 7.72-10.36) and 6-month follow-up (Δ = 7.16, 95% confidence interval 5.73-8.59). The HCPs provided significantly more guideline-adherent recommendations post-training.
Investigators concluded that an ITP can effectively improve HCPs’ biopsychosocial perspective of chronic pain management in the short and long term.
Source: journals.lww.com/pain/fulltext/9900/enhancing_healthcare_professionals_.768.aspx
