National Survey of Chronic Occupational Pain in Thai Anesthesia Providers

August 19, 2026 updated by: Mahidol University

Prevalence, Impacts, and Associated Factors of Chronic Occupational Pain Among Anesthesiologists and Nurses Anesthetists in Thailand: A National Survey

The purpose of this nationwide cross-sectional survey is to determine the prevalence, multidimensional impacts, and associated factors of chronic occupational pain among anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists in Thailand. Due to the physically demanding nature of anesthesia practice-such as prolonged standing, awkward postures during airway management, and high-stress environments-work-related musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent but often underreported. This study aims to collect self-reported data via an anonymous online questionnaire to assess pain severity, specific anatomical locations, economic burdens (including absenteeism and presenteeism), and the overall impact on the health-related quality of life. Ultimately, the findings from this study will help establish a national evidence-based database to improve workplace safety, inform occupational health policies, and enhance the overall well-being of anesthesia providers in Thailand.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

Anesthesia providers, encompassing both anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, are highly susceptible to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and chronic occupational pain. The nature of the profession requires prolonged static postures, repetitive movements, manual patient handling, and high-stress clinical management, all of which contribute to cumulative physical strain. Despite the critical role these professionals play in the healthcare system, comprehensive national data regarding the prevalence, severity, and multidimensional impacts of occupational pain within this specific population in Thailand remains highly limited.

This study is a nationwide, cross-sectional observational survey designed to evaluate the prevalence of chronic occupational pain and identify its associated factors among Thai anesthesia providers. The target population includes active anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists aged 25 to 60 years who have been working in their current roles for at least six months.

The primary objective is to estimate the national prevalence of chronic occupational pain within this professional group. Secondary objectives include:

Assessing the severity, interference, and anatomical distribution of the pain using the validated Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF Thai version).

Evaluating the impact of chronic pain on the health-related quality of life using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) instrument.

Determining the economic burden associated with occupational pain, specifically focusing on healthcare utilization, absenteeism, and presenteeism (reduced work productivity).

Exploring the correlation between workplace exposures (e.g., specific clinical procedures, working hours, ergonomic factors) and the development of chronic pain.

Data collection will be conducted entirely through a structured, anonymous online questionnaire. The survey is designed with logic-branching to minimize respondent burden, ensuring that participants only answer questions relevant to their specific pain status. By gathering high-quality empirical data, this study aims to raise awareness among healthcare administrators, guide the development of targeted ergonomic interventions, and promote sustainable preventive strategies to secure the physical well-being and career longevity of anesthesia personnel.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

1800

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of actively practicing anesthesia providers, specifically attending anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, and nurse anesthetists, who are currently working in healthcare facilities across Thailand.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Currently practicing as an anesthesiologist, anesthesia resident, or nurse anesthetist in a hospital in Thailand.
  • Aged between 25 and 60 years.
  • Have been working in their current clinical position and performing anesthesia-related tasks for at least 6 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently on extended leave (e.g., long-term sick leave, maternity leave, or study leave) during the survey period.
  • Unwilling or unable to provide informed consent to participate in the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Thai Anesthesia Providers
Active anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, aged 25 to 60 years, who are currently practicing in Thailand and have been in their current roles for at least six months.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Prevalence of Chronic Occupational Pain
Time Frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
The proportion (%) of anesthesia providers experiencing chronic work-related pain, defined as pain lasting for at least 3 months. This is a binary (yes/no) determination collected via a self-reported structured questionnaire assessing the presence and anatomical locations of the pain; no severity scale or scoring system is used for this outcome.
At the time of survey completion (Day 1)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain Severity and Interference
Time Frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Assessed using the validated Thai version of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF). It measures pain severity (scored from 0 = no pain to 10 = pain as bad as you can imagine) and the degree to which pain interferes with daily functions (scored from 0 = does not interfere to 10 = completely interferes). Higher scores indicate greater pain severity and interference.
At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Health-Related Quality of Life
Time Frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Evaluated using the Thai version of the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) instrument. It assesses five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression, each rated on a severity scale from 1 (no problems) to 5 (extreme problems). Dimension responses are converted into a single index score using the Thai value set, ranging from a minimum of -0.42 (worse than death) to a maximum of 1.00 (full health). Lower index scores indicate poorer health status, while higher scores indicate better health status.
At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Absenteeism Due to Pain
Time Frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Measured by the self-reported number of work days missed due to pain over a specified recall period.
At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Presenteeism Due to Pain
Time Frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Measured by the estimated percentage of reduced work effectiveness while experiencing pain at work over a specified recall period.
At the time of survey completion (Day 1)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Mahidol University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Suratsawadee Wangnamthip, M.D.Assoc. Prof., Mahidol university

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

August 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 19, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 21, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 19, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 078/2569(IRB3)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared publicly to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the participants, in accordance with the Siriraj Institutional Review Board (SIRB) approval. Aggregated data and summaries will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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