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Title: | An exploration of attitudes towards psychological interventions for pain management amongst Maltese pain chronic sufferers |
Authors: | Portelli, Pamela |
Keywords: | Pain -- Treatment Chronic pain -- Psychological aspects Grounded theory Chronic pain -- Management Chronic pain -- Patients -- Family relationships Chronic pain -- Patients -- Religious life |
Issue Date: | 2019 |
Publisher: | University of Malta. Faculty of Health Sciences |
Citation: | Portelli, P. (2019). An exploration of attitudes towards psychological interventions for pain management amongst Maltese pain chronic sufferers. Malta Journal of Health Sciences, 6(2), 24-35. |
Abstract: | Chronic pain is a living reality for many individuals. Research reveals that individuals are often reluctant to seek psychological help. Chronic pain research and attitudes towards psychological treatment among a Maltese chronic pain population is solely lacking. This study sought to explore attitudes towards psychological interventions for the management of chronic pain amongst persons with chronic pain. A grounded theory methodology was adopted. Interviews were conducted with 21 participants. Five superordinate categories comprising 12 sub-categories were generated. An attitude model reflecting inter-relationships between categories was developed. The theory entitled ‘Readiness to Try What Ever it Takes’ reveals that a number of facilitating factors contribute to the formation of positive attitudes to psychological help-seeking. Although the study did not reveal polarized views in relation to gender, impeding factors comprising negative affect, lacking resources and stigma hinder help-seeking behaviour. Most participants were unfamiliar with psychological services for pain management. Findings also indicate that individuals who perceive a link between psychological factors and pain are not necessarily more inclined to access psychological help, mostly because help-seeking behaviour is influenced by an array of psychosocial factors which are difficult to quantify. Service uptake can be enhanced by adopting a bio-psychosocial framework incorporating cultural factors and a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment involving not just health care professionals, but also significant others who influence the chronic pain sufferers’ decision-making, including family members and the clergy. |
URI: | https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/51457 |
Appears in Collections: | MJHS, Volume 6, Issue 2 MJHS, Volume 6, Issue 2 Scholarly Works - FacSoWPsy |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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MJHS6(2)A3.pdf | 772.84 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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