Clinicians’ views on the facilitators and barriers that influence the provision of persistent pain management to refugees attending the Persistent Pain Clinic at PAH.

About the Project

Persistent pain management in refugee populations is problematic. Despite clinicians using interpreters, researchers have concluded that clinicians need to understand how culture influences refugees’ interpretation and management of pain. This study follows the findings of a retrospective medical chart audit conducted on refugees at the Persistent Pain Clinic at Princess Alexandra Hospital. The audit highlighted issues such as high levels of pain and distress, communication difficulties due to inability to speak English and more importantly differing cultural views causing less than optimum pain management for refugees.

The aim is to, explore and document:

1. clinicians’ views of the facilitators and barriers that influence the provision of persistent pain management for refugees attending the Persistent Pain Clinic at Princess
   Alexandra Hospital;
2. clinicians’ perceived need for cultural competence training.

Project Outcomes

To date there are no guidelines for clinicians with reference to specific cultural competence skills when providing pain management to refugees. As this project seeks to explore clinicians’ views on facilitators and barriers in providing pain management to refugees including their views on cultural competence training, this study is important in developing guidelines for clinicians to better manage persistent pain in refugees and to facilitate the provision of optimum pain management for refugees attending the Persistent Pain Clinic.

Findings from this project have the potential to influence other service areas of MSH working clinical with refugee patients. It also has the potential to inform other culturally focussed practices and training for the PPMS.

Project Funding

This project is supported and funded by The Hopkins Centre Seed Grant (round four) project process, supporting interdisciplinary research that promotes applied research on priority issues and improvements relevant to disability and rehabilitation clinical practice, service delivery and systems.