PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Francine Toye
AU  - Kate Seers
AU  - Nick Allcock
AU  - Michelle Briggs
AU  - Eloise Carr
AU  - JoyAnn Andrews
AU  - Karen Barker
TI  - Patients’ experiences of chronic non-malignant musculoskeletal pain: a qualitative systematic review
AID  - 10.3399/bjgp13X675412
DP  - 2013 Dec 01
TA  - British Journal of General Practice
PG  - e829--e841
VI  - 63
IP  - 617
4099  - http://bjgp.org/content/63/617/e829.short
4100  - http://bjgp.org/content/63/617/e829.full
SO  - Br J Gen Pract2013 Dec 01; 63
AB  - Background Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is one of the most predominant types of pain and accounts for a large portion of the primary care workload.Aim To systematically review and integrate the findings of qualitative research to increase understanding of patients’ experiences of chronic non-malignant MSK pain.Design and setting Synthesis of qualitative research using meta-ethnography using six electronic databases up until February 2012 (Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Psychinfo, Amed and HMIC).Method Databases were searched from their inception until February 2012, supplemented by hand-searching contents lists of specific journals for 2001–2011 and citation tracking. Full published reports of qualitative studies exploring adults’ own experience of chronic non-malignant MSK pain were eligible for inclusion.Results Out of 24 992 titles, 676 abstracts, and 321 full texts were screened, 77 papers reporting 60 individual studies were included. A new concept of pain as an adversarial struggle emerged. This adversarial struggle was to: 1) affirm self; 2) reconstruct self in time; 3) construct an explanation for suffering; 4) negotiate the healthcare system; and 5) prove legitimacy. However, despite this struggle there is also a sense for some patients of 6) moving forward alongside pain.Conclusions This review provides a theoretical underpinning for improving patient experience and facilitating a therapeutic collaborative partnership. A conceptual model is presented, which offers opportunities for improvement by involving patients, showing them their pain is understood, and forming the basis to help patients move forward alongside their pain.