Blake H, Giannoulatou M, Chaplin W J
School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK.
Occup Med (Lond). 2025 Aug 20;75(5):250-255. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqaf052.
Between one-third and one-half of the UK population is affected by chronic pain. Effectively supporting people with chronic pain at work requires an understanding of employees' experiences and expressed support needs.
To understand how chronic pain affects people in their place of work, their reported support needs with relation to self-managing their chronic pain at work, and views towards the support provided by their employers.
Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews conducted with working-age adults who experience chronic pain and are employed in organizations in England. Data were analysed thematically and inductively.
Thirteen employees were interviewed (12 female, 1 male; aged 19-58 years). Four themes and 12 sub-themes were identified: (i) flexibility (hybrid working, working hours, manager support), (ii) inadequate support services (underdeveloped policies, poorly trained staff, inaccessibility), (iii) working conditions (equipment and adjustments, nature of job, being overworked), and (iv) perception of pain (stigma and discrimination, awareness and knowledge, support networks).
This study provides insights into a range of factors that are described as helping or hindering the self-management of chronic pain at work. While support needs vary, inequities in workplace provisions and support are described. Occupational health and well-being services are described as not uniformly accessible, and workplace policies relating to chronic conditions or disability as vague. Line managers are described as playing a critical role in employee experiences, but are often perceived to lack the knowledge and training to address employees' support needs.
英国三分之一至二分之一的人口受到慢性疼痛的影响。要有效地支持患有慢性疼痛的人工作，需要了解员工的经历以及他们所表达的支持需求。
了解慢性疼痛如何影响人们在工作场所的状态、他们在工作中自我管理慢性疼痛方面所报告的支持需求，以及对雇主提供的支持的看法。
采用定性研究方法，对英格兰各组织中患有慢性疼痛的工作年龄成年人进行半结构化访谈。对数据进行了主题分析和归纳分析。
采访了13名员工（12名女性，1名男性；年龄在19 - 58岁之间）。确定了四个主题和12个子主题：（i）灵活性（混合工作、工作时间、经理支持），（ii）支持服务不足（政策不完善、员工培训不足、难以获得服务），（iii）工作条件（设备与调整、工作性质、工作过度），以及（iv）对疼痛的认知（耻辱与歧视、意识与知识、支持网络）。
本研究深入探讨了一系列被描述为有助于或阻碍工作中慢性疼痛自我管理的因素。虽然支持需求各不相同，但工作场所的条件和支持存在不平等现象。职业健康与福利服务并非普遍可及，与慢性病或残疾相关的工作场所政策也含糊不清。直属经理在员工体验中起着关键作用，但人们往往认为他们缺乏满足员工支持需求的知识和培训。
