Chronic pain portrait: pain perception through the eyes of sufferers

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The literature mentions several factors influencing chronic pain onset or maintenance ; however, it is known that such aspects cannot be generalized and universalized because studies state that socio-cultural differences interfere with pain perception. This study aimed at characterizing patients' perception of their pain and associated suffering as from the projective tool Portrait of Pain. METHODS: This is an exploratory study with 150 patients with different chronic pains. They were evaluated as from socio-demographic variables related to pain and beliefs with regard to pain/suffering and proposed treatment (application of the Portrait of Pain). Information obtained from the Portrait of Pain was analyzed by the content analysis method. A single meeting was scheduled with mean duration of 60 minutes. RESULTS: The study was made up of 64% of females, mean age of 52.5 years, 46% were married and 46% had not completed high school. Mean pain duration was 6 years (58%). Drawings were grouped in 8 categories (scenes, monsters, objects, geometric shapes, irregular shapes and scribbles, whole human body, parts of the body and miscellaneous), evidencing that half of the subjects associated current suffering to other events with emotional impact and 87% expected to improve as from passive strategies. CONCLUSION: There are few reports on the use of projective tools to evaluate and manage chronic pain. Results suggest that this resource could help characterizing the meaning of pain in