The Benefits of Patient-Led Chronic Pain Peer Support Groups
There are support groups around the country for those who have illnesses or other conditions, including those who have chronic pain. Some support groups are led by a clinician or health professional, but others are patient-led. Researchers wanted to see what the benefits were, if any, of people attending a patient-led chronic pain peer support group.
The results of their study were published in the June 2021 issue of the journal Pain Medicine (1). While they weren’t able to gather the information regarding the long-term impact of patient-led chronic pain support groups, they did gather some details regarding their immediate impact.
They studied the experiences that patients had after they attended peer support groups that were patient-led. They interviewed those who kept attending the group, as well as those who left the group, so they could find out why they dropped out of the program. What they found regarding those who left the group is that they did so because they felt that they didn’t make a connection to the other people there.
For those who kept attending the support group, there were plenty of benefits. The peer support group focused on self-management of pain, as well as social life recovery. There were 38 patients in the study, and they reported that by attending the support group, they were made friends and found mutual understanding regarding chronic pain. In other words, it was comforting to speak with others who could relate to what they were going through. Plus, those who attended the groups felt that they were encouraged and learned of new ways to cope with the pain.
The researchers concluded that patient-led support groups are low-cost, effective, and provide a place for social intervention, and for getting help with self-management skills. They also found that another benefit to them is that they reduce some use of health services. This study supports the idea of chronic pain patients getting together to socially interact and share information.
Peer support groups are easy to start, with information being found online on how to start one, and they provide numerous benefits. They provide a place to share experiences, provide encouragement, feel less isolated, share problem solving, improve mood, and more. Those who would like to be in such a group should reach out to their local hospital or pain management centers to see if there are any already going. If there are not, they may want to consider being the person to get one started.
Source:
Pain Medicine. Experiences of patient-led chronic pain peer support groups after pain management programmes. June 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34180996/
