International, multi-disciplinary, cross-section study of pain knowledge and attitudes in nursing, midwifery and allied health professions students

Jagjit Mankelow, Cormac G Ryan, Paul C Taylor, Maire-Brid Casey, Jenni Naisby, Kate Thompson, Joseph G McVeigh, Chris Seenan, Kay Cooper, Paul Hendrick, Donna Brown, William Gibson, Mervyn Travers, Norelee Kennedy, Cliona O'Riordan, Denis Martin, Jagjit Mankelow, Cormac G Ryan, Paul C Taylor, Maire-Brid Casey, Jenni Naisby, Kate Thompson, Joseph G McVeigh, Chris Seenan, Kay Cooper, Paul Hendrick, Donna Brown, William Gibson, Mervyn Travers, Norelee Kennedy, Cliona O'Riordan, Denis Martin

Abstract

Background: Persistent pain is a highly prevalent, global cause of disability. Research suggests that many healthcare professionals are not well equipped to manage pain, and this may be attributable at least in part to undergraduate education. The primary aim of this study was to quantify and compare first and final year nursing, midwifery and allied health professional (NMAHP) students' pain related knowledge and attitudes. The secondary aim was to explore what factors influence students' pain related knowledge and attitudes.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1154 first and final year healthcare students, from 12 universities in five different countries completed the Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Quiz (RNPQ) [knowledge] and the Health Care Providers Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS) [attitudes].

Results: Physiotherapy was the only student group with statistically and clinically improved pain related knowledge [mean difference, 95% CI] (3.4, 3.0 to 3.9, p = 0.01) and attitudes (-17.2, -19.2 to 15.2, p = 0.01) between first and final year. Pain education teaching varied considerably from course to course (0 to 40 h), with greater levels of pain related knowledge and attitudes associated with higher volumes of pain specific teaching.

Conclusions: There was little difference in pain knowledge and attitudes between all first and final year NMAHP students other than physiotherapy. This suggests that for most NMAHP disciplines, undergraduate teaching has little or no impact on students' understanding of pain. There is an urgent need to enhance pain education provision at the undergraduate level in NMAHPs.

Trial registration: The study protocol was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT03522857 .

Keywords: Cross-section; Healthcare students; Pain education.

Conflict of interest statement

There are no competing interests for any contributing authors.

© 2022. The Author(s).

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
First and final year mean SD HC-PAIRS scores for physiotherapy cohorts in Universities 1–11. University 12 did not include any physiotherapists
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
First and final year mean RNPQ scores for physiotherapy cohorts in Universities 1–11. University 12 did not include any physiotherapists
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Approximate hours of pain education teaching in each discipline and University

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