Patients' Experiences of Multimodal Rehabilitation for Chronic Pain in Primary Care

To describe how patients with chronic pain experienced participation in a multimodal rehabilitation programme (MMR) in primary care.

The study had a descriptive qualitative design with an inductive approach, including 10 participants (6 women and 4 men, aged 36-57). The MMR took place at a primary care centre in southern Sweden and consisted of face-to-face meetings twice a week for 6 to 7 weeks. The multidisciplinary team included a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, a healthcare counsellor, and a physician. Individual in-person interviews were conducted using open-ended questions and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

The results illustrate participants' varied experiences of participation in MMR in primary care, described in three themes with six sub-themes: (1) knowing the pain (grasping the pain and voicing needs); (2) embracing pain (being recognised and empowered); and (3) building resilience (enhancing skillset and becoming proactive).

MMR offered a structure to address chronic pain beyond symptoms, fostering better communication with healthcare professionals and promoting autonomy. It encouraged a shift towards a biopsychosocial understanding of pain and resilience building. Tailoring MMR to individual needs and previous experiences could further strengthen its impact on diverse groups of patients with chronic pain.