Background & Aims

People with chronic low back pain experience myriads of problems from living with their condition. This study aimed to explore the lived experience of people with chronic low back pain in Ethiopia.

Methods

Design: This study employed a qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis as a methodological approach.
Subjects: Fifteen adults (10 women and 5 men) with chronic low back pain (duration ? 3 months) with age ranging from 19 to 66 years old were interviewed.
Setting: Participants were recruited from the outpatient departments of the University of Gondar hospital in Gondar, Ethiopia.
Methods: Data was collected through an in-depth semi-structured interview. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed through an iterative process, beginning with a line-by-line coding to identify the lived experience of chronic low back pain.

Results

A thorough analysis of the interviews and a phenomenological reflection resulted in five main themes related to the lived experience of people with CLBP in Ethiopia: – 1) CLBP impacts life on a day-to-day basis, 2) The invisibility of pain results in misunderstanding, misjudgment, and loneliness, 3) The cause of pain is a mystery, 4) The search for the cure is a quest, 5) Each person has their ways of managing, coping, and living with pain.

Conclusions

All participants in this study experienced pain that has impacted multiple dimensions of their lives, indicating the complexity of the lived experience of people with CLBP. The findings from this study improve our understanding of the experience of people with chronic low back pain and its impact on their day-to-day life in Ethiopia. Findings offer important data to inform chronic low back pain management in the Ethiopian context.

References

1. Snelgrove S, Liossi C. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of living with chronic low back pain. Br J Health Psychol, 2009.
2. Smith JA, Osborn M. Pain as an assault on the self: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the psychological impact of chronic benign low back pain. Psychol Health, 2007.
3. Scheermesser M, Bachmann S, Schämann A, Oesch P, Kool J. A qualitative study on the role of cultural background in patients’ perspectives on rehabilitation. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 2012.
4. Osborn M, Smith JA. The personal experience of chronic benign lower back pain: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Br J Health Psychol, 1998.
5. Snelgrove S, Edwards S, Liossi C. A longitudinal study of patients’ experiences of chronic low back pain using interpretative phenomenological analysis: Changes and consistencies. Psychol Health, 2013.
6. Singh G, Newton C, O’Sullivan K, Soundy A, Heneghan NR. Exploring the lived experience and chronic low back pain beliefs of English-speaking Punjabi and white British people: A qualitative study within the NHS. BMJ Open, 2018.
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Presenting Author

Mulugeta Bayisa Chala

Poster Authors

Mulugeta Chala

PhD

Lawson Health Research Institute/ St. Joseph's Health Care London

Lead Author

Catherine Donnelly (PhD)

Queen's University

Lead Author

Setareh Ghahari

PhD

School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Canada

Lead Author

Yemataw Wondie

PhD

University of Gondar, Ethiopia

Lead Author

Abey Abebe

Queen's University

Lead Author

Jordan Miller

BSc

Queen’s University

Lead Author

Topics

  • Specific Pain Conditions/Pain in Specific Populations: Low Back Pain