CHRONIC MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN AND SOCIAL SUPPORT: GENDER DIFFERENCES

• Grant number: 24/16920-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Nursing - Public Health Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Priscilla Hortense
• Grantee: Lethícia Secaf Maciel
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Men and women manifest, deal with, and perceive pain in different ways, which is also influenced by aspects of social support and social expectations. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand how gender differences can influence chronic pain experiences and how interactions with psychosocial factors, such as social support, can also modify this perception in a working population. Objective: To compare sociodemographic, clinical, work (formal and informal), pain (location and intensity), and social support aspects between adult male and female individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Method: Quantitative, observational, and descriptive study. Individuals over 18 years of age who report having chronic musculoskeletal pain for more than 3 months, as well as technical-administrative or teaching staff at a public university, will be included in the study. Data collection will be carried out online; the target population will receive invitations to participate in the study, which will be widely disseminated on social media. Data collection: Initial questionnaire for sociodemographic and clinical characterization, formal and informal work and lifestyle habits, pain assessment (duration, location, intensity, frequency and analgesic measures and a social support scale. For data analysis, a descriptive and comparative statistical analysis will be performed, represented by means of graphs and tables.