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Published on: June 26, 2018
Prospective 12-Month Outcomes of Spinal Cord Stimulation From Ethnic Minority With Language Barriers at a UK Tertiary
Vivek Mehta1, Kavita Poply2, Alia Ahmad3
1Pain Research Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital, City St Georges and Queen Mary University, London, UK.
Background:
Health disparities persist in chronic pain management, particularly among patients from ethnic minority groups with language barriers. Their outcomes with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) remain underreported.
Objectives:
This study aimed to prospectively evaluate 12-month pain and quality of life (QoL) outcomes of SCS in patients from ethnic minority groups with documented language barriers at a UK tertiary center.
Materials And Methods:
Between May 2021 and June 2022, 494 patients were assessed for neuromodulation; 44 (9%) were non-English speakers, of whom 31 were suitable for SCS. A total of 25 proceeded to implantation without a trial. Pain (Numeric Rating Scale [NRS]) and health-related QoL (EuroQoL-5D-5L [EQ-5D-5L]) were collected at baseline, six, and 12 months.
Results:
A total of 23 patients completed follow-up. Mean NRS decreased from 7.8 ± 1.0 to 4.2 at 12 months (p < 0.001). EQ-5D-5L increased from 0.23 ± 0.22 to 0.75 (p < 0.001), reaching normative population values. The explant rate was 8%, and questionnaire noncompletion was higher than typical, suggesting barriers to follow-up engagement.
Conclusions:
Patients from ethnic minority groups with language barriers achieve substantial benefit from SCS. Health inequities appear to be driven by access and engagement barriers, emphasizing the need for targeted, language-sensitive interventions.
