An educational intervention to reduce pain and improve pain management for Malawian people living with HIV/AIDS and their family carers: A randomized controlled trial

Nkhoma, Kennedy, Seymour, Jane and Arthur, Antony (2015) An educational intervention to reduce pain and improve pain management for Malawian people living with HIV/AIDS and their family carers: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 50 (1). 80–90.e4. ISSN 1873-6513

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Abstract

CONTEXT: Advances being made in improving access to HIV drugs in resource-poor countries mean HIV patients are living longer, and, therefore, experiencing pain over a longer period of time. There is a need to provide effective interventions for alleviating and managing pain. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether a pain educational intervention compared with usual care reduces pain severity and improves pain management in patients with HIV/AIDS and their family carers. METHODS: This was a randomized, parallel group, superiority trial conducted at HIV and palliative care clinics of two public hospitals in Malawi. A total of 182 adults with HIV/AIDS (Stage III or IV) and their family carers participated; carer participants were those individuals most involved in the patient's unpaid care. The educational intervention comprised a 30 minute face-to-face meeting, a leaflet, and a follow-up telephone call at two weeks. The content of the educational intervention covered definition, causes, and characteristics of pain in HIV/AIDS; beliefs and myths about pain and pain medication; assessment of pain; and pharmacological and nonpharmacological management. The primary outcome was average pain severity measured by the Brief Pain Inventory-Pain Severity subscale. Assessments were recorded at baseline before randomization and at eight weeks after randomization. RESULTS: Of the 182 patient/carer dyads randomly allocated, 157 patient/carer dyads completed the trial. Patients in the intervention group experienced a greater decrease in pain severity (mean difference = 21.09 points, 95% confidence interval = 16.56-25.63; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: A short pain education intervention is effective in reducing pain and improving pain management for Malawian people living with HIV/AIDS and their family carers.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	aids,trial,pain,carers,educational intervention,palliative care,sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Health Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health in Later Life (former - to 2017) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Dementia & Complexity in Later Life
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	20 Oct 2015 10:00
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2022 00:59
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/54724
DOI:	10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.01.011

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