The importance of health literacy in musculoskeletal chronic pain: A participatory design of infographics for the appropriate patient's management

• Grant number: 24/03485-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 19, 2024
• End date: August 14, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Melina Nevoeiro Haik Guilherme
• Grantee: Thainá Padovani dos Santos
• Supervisor: Alejandro Luque Suarez
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidad de Málaga (UMA), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/10852-6 - Identification criteria for pro- and anti-nociceptive profiles of people with shoulder pain, BP.IC

Abstract

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is one of the main causes of suffering and disability. Pain neuroscience education is necessary to reconceptualize pain as less threatening and help individuals understanding their clinical condition. Health literacy is a great ally in self-management of chronic pain since it allows the acquisition of knowledge, skills and self-confidence to make decisions regarding health and pain care. The aim of this study is to develop a set of infographics that support understanding of the neuroscience of chronic pain and symptom self-management, and to explore users' opinions on these infographics. Individuals who are 18 years of age or older and present with acute or chronic musculoskeletal pain will be included. A four-step strategy will be used to create the infographics: 1. infographics creation - visual information created based on literature review, important details about pain, andfcollaborative discussions; 2. evaluation process - to assess awareness and understanding about chronic pain and about the information (prototype infographics); 3. analysis and reflexivity - to provide themes and subthemes from the interview; and 4. survey - to assess respondents' understanding and application of the information presented in the infographics. Throughout the stages, the focus groups will be audio recorded and transcribed. Such anonymized transcripts will be analyzed using thematic analysis and assisted by specialized software so that the data is organized. Finally, multiple and continuous comparisons will be used to compare and code data between interviews, using an inductive approach, and these categories will be organized into a framework that will provide themes and subthemes.