Publicação
Estigma Relacionado com a Dor Crónica nos profissionais de saúde: contributos para a sua avaliação e compreensão
| Resumo: | Introduction: Chronic pain (CP) is a complex experience with significant impact on quality of life. However, it is often poorly understood, underestimated, and stigmatized. The stigma associated with CP, also present among healthcare professionals, remains poorly understood and has the potential for a negative impact on healthcare delivery. It is important to have instruments that allow for its rigorous assessment and exploration of its determinants, enabling the development of specific interventions aimed at its mitigation.Objectives: (1) To validate the adapted Portuguese versions of the WHO-HP and SSCI-8 scales; (2) To understand and compare the levels of stigma associated with chronic pain (CPS) and mental illness (MI) among family physicians; (3) To explore the relationship between levels of CPS/MI and sociodemographic and professional variables.Materials and Methods: 398 family physicians (79% female) completed a questionnaire with sociodemographic questions; 229 (57.5%) responded to the adapted versions of the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC) and the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness 8-item (SSCI-8) for chronic pain and healthcare professionals, respectively; 169 (42.5%) responded to the Portuguese version of the OMS-HC.Results: The adapted Portuguese versions of OMS-HC-CP and SSCI-8 showed good construct validity and internal consistency. Younger physicians with less professional experience had higher scores in CPS evaluation by the SSCI-8 scale. Variables such as gender and previous personal experience with the disease were less relevant in explaining the level of CPS. Comparison of levels of MI and CPS, through the WHO-HP scale, showed higher levels of MI, in its total score and in the Social Distance dimension, but no significant difference in the Attitudes and Disclosure/Help-Seeking dimensions.Discussion: The adapted OMS-HC and SSCI-8 scales can be used to assess CPS in healthcare professionals. The presence of higher levels of CPS in younger physicians with less professional experience reflects greater discomfort/guilt in dealing with patients with CP. Comparison of CPS and MI levels showed that, despite physicians presenting higher levels of MI, there are dimensions where there is no significant distinction between both, suggesting that CP can elicit perceptions potentially as negative as MI. Therefore, it will be important to implement measures to reduce this stigma. |
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| Autores principais: | Lopes, Joana Rita da Silva |
| Assunto: | STIGMA CHRONIC PAIN MENTAL ILLNESS HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS estigma dor crónica doença mental profissionais de saúde |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso embargado |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Coimbra |
| Idioma: | português |
| Origem: | Estudo Geral - Universidade de Coimbra |
| Resumo: | Introduction: Chronic pain (CP) is a complex experience with significant impact on quality of life. However, it is often poorly understood, underestimated, and stigmatized. The stigma associated with CP, also present among healthcare professionals, remains poorly understood and has the potential for a negative impact on healthcare delivery. It is important to have instruments that allow for its rigorous assessment and exploration of its determinants, enabling the development of specific interventions aimed at its mitigation.Objectives: (1) To validate the adapted Portuguese versions of the WHO-HP and SSCI-8 scales; (2) To understand and compare the levels of stigma associated with chronic pain (CPS) and mental illness (MI) among family physicians; (3) To explore the relationship between levels of CPS/MI and sociodemographic and professional variables.Materials and Methods: 398 family physicians (79% female) completed a questionnaire with sociodemographic questions; 229 (57.5%) responded to the adapted versions of the Opening Minds Scale for Health Care Providers (OMS-HC) and the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness 8-item (SSCI-8) for chronic pain and healthcare professionals, respectively; 169 (42.5%) responded to the Portuguese version of the OMS-HC.Results: The adapted Portuguese versions of OMS-HC-CP and SSCI-8 showed good construct validity and internal consistency. Younger physicians with less professional experience had higher scores in CPS evaluation by the SSCI-8 scale. Variables such as gender and previous personal experience with the disease were less relevant in explaining the level of CPS. Comparison of levels of MI and CPS, through the WHO-HP scale, showed higher levels of MI, in its total score and in the Social Distance dimension, but no significant difference in the Attitudes and Disclosure/Help-Seeking dimensions.Discussion: The adapted OMS-HC and SSCI-8 scales can be used to assess CPS in healthcare professionals. The presence of higher levels of CPS in younger physicians with less professional experience reflects greater discomfort/guilt in dealing with patients with CP. Comparison of CPS and MI levels showed that, despite physicians presenting higher levels of MI, there are dimensions where there is no significant distinction between both, suggesting that CP can elicit perceptions potentially as negative as MI. Therefore, it will be important to implement measures to reduce this stigma. |
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