Coping in a life with chronic pain: An interview study

Abstract

Research question: What coping strategies have people with long-term pain brought with them after an eight-week low threshold pain management course, consisting of ACT and supervised physical activity, to manage their pain? Design: The study utilized a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. Method: Individual interviews were conducted with five women aged 47-59 who had participated in a pain management course in a Norwegian municipality in spring 2021. The data were analysed using phenomenology. Findings: The participants learned coping strategies that could be used during exacerbations of pain. The pain course did not change the participants' pain levels. The key coping strategies the participants took away were related to valuing work, relaxation, and physical activity. Although the participants felt they learned useful strategies from the coping course, the findings of this study show that it was challenging to implement the strategies in daily life after the course. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that working to identify one's values, exploring various forms of physical activity, and relaxation techniques can be effective coping strategies for managing pain. However, the findings also suggest that implementing these strategies in everyday life outside the course's framework may be challenging.

Keywords

• long- term pain
• coping strategies
• pain management
• values
• acceptance- and commitment therapy