Chronic pain self-management during the return to work process: an integrative review

Chronic pain self-management strategies are alternatives that enable the maintenance or recovery of worker functional capacity. The aim of this article is to synthesize scientific knowledge about chronic pain self-management strategies in the work context. We conducted an integrative literature review following the PRISMA recommendations. Searches were conducted of the MEDLINE, WoS, and Scopus databases for articles written in Portuguese and English published between 2017 and 2022 using the descriptors "chronic pain" and "return to work". Of the 14 included studies, ten investigated multidisciplinary programs promoting chronic pain self-management strategies focused predominantly on the affected individual, two looked at interventions involving work supervisors in this process, and two described actions in the workplace as facilitators of return to work. The involvement of multiple disciplines and employers, the establishment of individualized therapy plans with active worker participation, and workplace adaptations were highlighted as important strategies for promoting return to work; however, there is a need for greater involvement of the organization given the biopsychosocial nature of pain and the significant influence of the work environment on the effectiveness of pain self-management.