Understanding Chronic Pain Patient’s Quality of Life Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Approach

Abstract

Chronic pain affects different aspects of individual’s lives and may relate to a low quality of life. Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or is described with such damage. The purpose of this study is to identify and understand the consequences of chronic pain on patient’s quality of life. This qualitative study was conducted in the Pain Clinic and Neurology Clinic of the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre. Thirty four chronic pain patients were interviewed using open-ended structured questions in the English language. The data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three themes (with a total of 6 sub-themes) were identified consisting of tolerance with life, inactive daily activities, and sleep disturbance. Chronic pain patients claimed that pain prevented them from performing their daily activities effectively and efficiently. The severity of pain caused the patients to go to sleep or taking analgesic to reduce their pain. Understanding the needs of healthy and quality life among chronic pain patients could lead to identify and justify an ideal treatment programme. Bbetterment of personal management of chronic pain may contribute to improvement of the quality of life.