The relationship between pain coping strategies and pain beliefs, kinesiophobia, body awareness, and job satisfaction in health care professionals with chronic musculoskeletal pain

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between pain coping strategies and pain beliefs, fear of movement, job satisfaction and body awareness. 116 (72 female, 44 male) volunteered health workers (doctor, physiotherapist, dietitian, nurse, health support staff) with chronic musculoskeletal pain, between the ages of 30-65, working in private hospital, participated in this study. The ability to cope with pain was assessed with the "Pain Coping Scale", beliefs about pain was assessed with the "Pain Beliefs Scale", the job satisfaction level of the individuals was assessed with the Job Satisfaction Scale, the fear of movement was assessed with the "Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale" and the level of body awareness was assessed with the "Body Awareness Questionnaire". As a result of the study, a significant positive correlation between the Pain Coping Scale and the Pain Beliefs Scale (r=0.185; p<0.05), and a significant positive correlation between the helplessness -as a sub-dimension of Pain Coping Scale- and the Pain Beliefs Scale (r=0.208, p<0.05), and a significant positive correlation between the seeking medical remedy -as a sub-dimension of Pain Coping Scale- and the Pain Beliefs Scale(r=0.200, p<0.05) was found. A significant positive correlation (r=0.239, p<0.05) was found between the Job Satisfaction Scale and helplessness -as a sub-dimension of Pain Coping Scale. Additionally, there was found a significant positive correlation (r=0.199, p<0.05) between the Pain Coping Scale and Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale. On the other hand, there was a significant negative correlation between the Predicting the Onset of Disease as a sub-dimension of the Body Awareness Questionnaire and the Pain Coping Scale (r=-0.237, p<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that gender, Predicting the Onset of disease as a sub-dimension of the Body Awareness Questionnaire, Organic Beliefs as a sub-dimension of Pain Beliefs Scale, and age were the strongest predictors of coping with pain in healthcare professionals with chronic musculoskeletal pain (R2 = 0,302; p<0,001). In conclusion, considering negative affection of chronic musculoskeletal pain on coping strategies of participants, it is important for chronic pain management to use practices aimed to develop pain beliefs, kinesiophobia and body awareness of individuals during the treatment to develop strategies for coping with pain.