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An interpretative phenomenological analysis of living with chronic low back pain

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of living with chronic low back pain
An interpretative phenomenological analysis of living with chronic low back pain
Objectives:

A predominantly quantitative approach to the psychological study of chronic low back pain (CLBP) has shown that enduring negative emotional responses and passive coping strategies contribute towards disability. The main objective of this study was to extend existing knowledge by providing a detailed and contextualized understanding of the meaning of CLBP for participants with long-standing experiences of chronic pain.

Design:

This is a qualitative, semi-structured interview study. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This is the first of three sets of individual interviews comprising a longitudinal study of the same participants over 3 years.

Methods:

Ten patients with CLBP were interviewed prior to their attendance at a medically staffed chronic pain clinic. The sample comprised seven females and three males. Ages ranged between 39 and 66 years. All had experienced CLBP for at least 4 years.

Conclusions:

The participants' experiences are represented by three main themes: 'maintaining integrity', 'the crucial nature of the pain' and 'managing the pain' that highlight participants' understanding of their pain within a biomedical framework. The findings are discussed with reference to the role of illness beliefs in the management of CLBP.
1359-107X
735-749
Snelgrove, Sherrill
88d0df44-aa05-4ea4-9cd3-05c669ba38f3
Liossi, Christina
fd401ad6-581a-4a31-a60b-f8671ffd3558
Snelgrove, Sherrill
88d0df44-aa05-4ea4-9cd3-05c669ba38f3
Liossi, Christina
fd401ad6-581a-4a31-a60b-f8671ffd3558

Snelgrove, Sherrill and Liossi, Christina (2009) An interpretative phenomenological analysis of living with chronic low back pain. British Journal of Health Psychology, 14 (4), 735-749. (doi:10.1348/135910709X402612).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objectives:

A predominantly quantitative approach to the psychological study of chronic low back pain (CLBP) has shown that enduring negative emotional responses and passive coping strategies contribute towards disability. The main objective of this study was to extend existing knowledge by providing a detailed and contextualized understanding of the meaning of CLBP for participants with long-standing experiences of chronic pain.

Design:

This is a qualitative, semi-structured interview study. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This is the first of three sets of individual interviews comprising a longitudinal study of the same participants over 3 years.

Methods:

Ten patients with CLBP were interviewed prior to their attendance at a medically staffed chronic pain clinic. The sample comprised seven females and three males. Ages ranged between 39 and 66 years. All had experienced CLBP for at least 4 years.

Conclusions:

The participants' experiences are represented by three main themes: 'maintaining integrity', 'the crucial nature of the pain' and 'managing the pain' that highlight participants' understanding of their pain within a biomedical framework. The findings are discussed with reference to the role of illness beliefs in the management of CLBP.

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Published date: November 2009

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 146281
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/146281
ISSN: 1359-107X
PURE UUID: 85939c23-a9d6-4245-8f33-7117364f74a4
ORCID for Christina Liossi: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0627-6377

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Date deposited: 22 Apr 2010 10:50
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:51

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Contributors

Author: Sherrill Snelgrove

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