TY - JOUR
T1 - A qualitative exploration of GPs' perspectives on managing chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain in Australian general practice - a focus group study
AU - Gaikwad, Manasi
AU - Vanlint, Simon
AU - Aylward, Paul
AU - Stocks, Nigel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Family Medicine and Community Health.
PY - 2018/2/1
Y1 - 2018/2/1
N2 - Objective: Chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain (CNMP) is a complex idiopathic condition that causes significant disruption to patients' lives, their relationships, and functionality. The cause of CNMP is not fully understood, which makes diagnosis and management challenging. As general practitioners (GPs) are central to the management of chronic pain, their perspectives on managing CNMP are important. Purpose: To explore the clinical reasoning GPs use when diagnosing and managing CNMP. Methods: A qualitative study design using focus group discussion was conducted with Australian GPs. Five focus group discussion were conducted across Adelaide. All focus group discussions were audio-recorded, and transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically with the program NVivo. Results: The main themes remained consistent across the five focus group discussion's: the ambiguous cause of CNMP; sex differences; developing the "right strategy" patient-centered care; and verifying vitamin D levels. Conclusion: The findings show that GPs use a patient-centered approach tailored to individual patients' medical history, physical examination findings, and psychosocial health. There was general concern about low levels of vitamin D in patients with CNMP, and vitamin D supplements were recommended if indicated by a patient's history.
AB - Objective: Chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain (CNMP) is a complex idiopathic condition that causes significant disruption to patients' lives, their relationships, and functionality. The cause of CNMP is not fully understood, which makes diagnosis and management challenging. As general practitioners (GPs) are central to the management of chronic pain, their perspectives on managing CNMP are important. Purpose: To explore the clinical reasoning GPs use when diagnosing and managing CNMP. Methods: A qualitative study design using focus group discussion was conducted with Australian GPs. Five focus group discussion were conducted across Adelaide. All focus group discussions were audio-recorded, and transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically with the program NVivo. Results: The main themes remained consistent across the five focus group discussion's: the ambiguous cause of CNMP; sex differences; developing the "right strategy" patient-centered care; and verifying vitamin D levels. Conclusion: The findings show that GPs use a patient-centered approach tailored to individual patients' medical history, physical examination findings, and psychosocial health. There was general concern about low levels of vitamin D in patients with CNMP, and vitamin D supplements were recommended if indicated by a patient's history.
KW - Chronic pain
KW - Focus group study
KW - General practitioner
KW - Qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85042075374&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.15212/FMCH.2017.0125
DO - 10.15212/FMCH.2017.0125
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85042075374
VL - 6
SP - 32
EP - 38
JO - Family Medicine and Community Health
JF - Family Medicine and Community Health
SN - 2305-6983
IS - 1
ER -