Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN.
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.; Orthopedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
J Pain. 2019 Jun;20(6):698-705. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2018.12.006. Epub 2018 Dec 21.
Chronic pain is a leading cause of work absenteeism and disability compensation. Previous work demonstrates that patients with chronic illness often seek advice, such as whether or not to pursue disability benefits, from peers with similar health conditions. The current study examined the extent that social factors influence patients with chronic pain ("peers") when making disability judgments and recommendations for other patients with chronic pain. Participants (N = 71) made pain-related and disability ratings for fictional vignette patients that varied in weight (normal vs obese), fault of accident, and physical work demands. Results of repeated measures analyses of variance indicated that participants rated patients with obesity, who were not at fault, and who held a physically demanding job as experiencing more severe pain symptoms and disability and were more likely to recommend they seek disability benefits. Participants who had applied for disability benefits themselves rated patients as more disabled than participants who had not applied for disability. These data suggest that patients with chronic pain are influenced by patient and contextual factors when making pain-related and disability judgments for peers. These judgments may impact patient decision making via peer support programs and online forums. PERSPECTIVE: This study suggests that patients with chronic pain are influenced by patient weight, fault of accident, and physical work demands when making judgments about pain and disability for peers. Future studies should examine the extent such peer-to-peer recommendations influence actual disability-seeking behaviors for pain.
慢性疼痛是导致旷工和残疾赔偿的主要原因。先前的研究表明，患有慢性病的患者经常向具有相似健康状况的同行寻求建议，例如是否寻求残疾福利。本研究考察了社会因素在多大程度上影响慢性疼痛患者（“同行”）对其他慢性疼痛患者做出残疾判断和建议。参与者（N=71）对虚构案例患者的疼痛相关和残疾程度进行了评分，这些案例患者在体重（正常与肥胖）、事故责任和体力工作要求方面存在差异。方差重复测量分析的结果表明，参与者认为肥胖、无过错且从事体力要求高的工作的患者经历更严重的疼痛症状和残疾，更有可能建议他们寻求残疾福利。自己申请过残疾福利的参与者比没有申请过残疾福利的参与者认为患者更残疾。这些数据表明，慢性疼痛患者在为同行做出与疼痛相关和残疾的判断时，会受到患者和环境因素的影响。这些判断可能会通过同伴支持计划和在线论坛影响患者的决策。观点：本研究表明，慢性疼痛患者在为同行做出疼痛和残疾判断时，会受到患者体重、事故责任和体力工作要求的影响。未来的研究应考察这种同伴间建议在多大程度上影响实际的疼痛相关残疾寻求行为。
