Delivering NICE Joint Pain Advice in the workplace

Effectiveness of motivational interviewing on pain-related outcomes in patients with musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To determine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) in the treatment of adult patients with musculoskeletal (MSK) pain.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A comprehensive search strategy without date or language restrictions was performed in five scientific databases. Manual searches and reference tracking were also carried out. Two reviewers independently performed title and abstract as well as full-text screening, data extraction, assessment of risk of bias, and evaluation of overall certainty with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Where possible, a meta-analysis was performed to identify effects across multiple studies.

RESULTS

Ten studies reported in 16 manuscripts met the previously defined eligibility criteria. Many outcomes could be extracted and analyzed. Nine of the ten studies were considered to have a high risk of bias according to the revised Cochrane RoB 2.0. The majority of comparisons were based on low to very low overall certainty of the evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

The existing literature did not allow a reliable statement about the effectiveness of MI on pain-related outcomes in people with MSK pain. Only tendencies towards a positive influence of MI were recognisable. However, this must be confirmed by high-quality randomized controlled trials in the future.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONMotivational interviewing appears to be an option for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain which presumably has few to no adverse effects.Motivational interviewing could represent an opportunity, particularly for patients for whom other treatment strategies have been ineffective so far.Motivational interviewing can safely be combined with other forms of treatment such as an active exercise therapy.

Participants experience of the Joint Pain Advice in the workplace programme

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal (MSK) health is central to health, well-being, physical functioning and healthy ageing. It is a public health priority to help maintain and improve the MSK health of the population across the life-course. An important environment for supporting MSK health is the workplace.

METHOD

A workplace Joint Pain Advice (JPA) service was piloted in 20 organisations of various sizes in Cornwall and London with 481 people accessing the service. A qualitative evaluation of the project was carried out in Cornwall with 24 JPA participants from 11 organisations taking part in interviews and focus groups.

RESULTS

Participants valued the service, the impact it had had on their physical and mental health and well-being and its effects on the management of their MSK health in the workplace. The service served the unmet need for support to self-manage MSK pain and participants found its delivery in the workplace convenient and efficient. Participants reported changing the ways in which they performed their role in the workplace and taking actions to protect their MSK health and relieve their pain. JPA participants felt more willing and better able to talk about their MSK problems with their colleagues and managers and felt more 'empowered' to ask their manager about how to accommodate their MSK problems in the workplace.

CONCLUSION

JPA in the workplace presents a model for delivering MSK services to businesses of all sizes which warrants further evaluation to measure its effect on absenteeism and presenteeism in small, medium-sized and larger organisations.