“I will try anything” the experience of working age stroke survivors living with chronic post-stroke pain: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Bruger, Johanna, Semlyen, Joanna ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5372-1344 and Ford, Catherine Elaine Longworth ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8646-9402 (2023) “I will try anything” the experience of working age stroke survivors living with chronic post-stroke pain: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Disability and Rehabilitation. ISSN 0963-8288

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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the experience of working age adults living with chronic post-stroke pain in the United Kingdom (UK). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight working age (46–64 years) UK-based stroke survivors who experience chronic post-stroke pain (≥3 months). The interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: The analysis led to three Group Experiential Themes: “The Solitude of the Pain Experience,” “Unsatisfactory Healthcare and the Need for Self-Care” and “The Development of Pain Acceptance.” Findings suggest that individuals see their post-stroke pain as an invisible disability, which is overlooked and misunderstood by others. Furthermore, in the absence of a differential post-stroke pain diagnosis, clear, accurate information and alternatives to pharmacological treatments, individuals with post-stroke pain invest their own resources in finding answers and a way to live with the pain. Conclusions: The findings suggest the need for further education on post-stroke pain for healthcare professionals, the consideration of pain in post-stroke assessments, the need for clear differential pain diagnoses and the provision of accurate information to patients. Research is needed to establish non-pharmacological evidence-based treatment approaches, such as pain management programmes, peer support and psychological interventions.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the research participants and recruitment services for their interest, participation, and support. This research was supported by the University of East Anglia as part fulfilment of the first author’s Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	chronic pain,interpretative phenomenological analysis,lived experience,post-stroke pain,stroke,working age,rehabilitation ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2742
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
Related URLs:	http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	10 Jan 2024 01:39
Last Modified:	12 Jan 2024 01:41
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/94136
DOI:	10.1080/09638288.2023.2288688

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