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
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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