Abstract
Purpose
This study investigated patient perceptions of multidisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation, including the occupational therapy lifestyle management program REVEAL(OT), on everyday life with chronic pain.
Methods
Individual interviews were conducted using video conferencing after completing multidisciplinary chronic pain rehabilitation. The interviews followed a semi-structured interview guide and investigated patient experiences with occupational therapy-supported health behavior transformation. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed iteratively using an inductive semantic data-driven approach inspired by Braun & Clarke’s methodology.
Results
Five females, 34 to 58 years old, revealed three common themes: To discover oneself anew; Increased energy and calmness; and Look into the future. The themes reflected transformations towards a healthier lifestyle through enhanced self-control, developing meaningful and secure everyday activities, and gaining reaffirmed dignity. The study also identified the participants’ need for professional assistance to cope with the pain after discharge.
Conclusions
Chronic pain rehabilitation that included an occupational therapy intervention supported health behavior transformation and chronic pain self-management in females, where meaningful daily occupations and physical activity played an important role. Individually tailored support, also available after chronic pain rehabilitation, would benefit the transformation process towards improved pain coping in females.
Personal gains for health and well-being may develop over a shorter or longer time after chronic pain rehabilitation.
Targeting daily occupations and physical activity during chronic pain rehabilitation appears meaningful for females living with chronic pain.
Progression from an individual to group approach can be relevant in planning chronic pain rehabilitation, but the individual capacities shall be considered.
Male perspectives on chronic pain rehabilitation that includes focus on daily occupations and lifestyle need further investigation.
Implications for rehabilitation
Acknowledgements
We want to thank the participants of this study for their engagement and time spent in the interviews. We also appreciate the clinicians for supporting the intervention’s conduct.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
The corresponding author can provide access to additional data from this study.