• Pain Manag Nurs · Aug 2023

    Observational Study

    Alexithymia in a Chinese Patient with Chronic Pain and Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    • Ju-Hong Pei, Xinglei Wang, Tong Ma, Yehui Du, and Xinman Dou.
    • Department of Nursing, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu, China; The first clinical medical college, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
    • Pain Manag Nurs. 2023 Aug 1; 24 (4): e1e6e1-e6.

    BackgroundAlexithymia is more prevalent among those with patients living with chronic pain. Information on the prevalence of alexithymia in Chinese patients with chronic pain and associated factors is limited.AimThe primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of alexithymia, as defined by a score of 61 or greater in the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), in a Chinese patient with chronic pain. The secondary objective was to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and the clinical and psychological aspects of chronic pain.MethodsA cross-sectional observational study used the TAS-20 to assess alexithymia of Chinese patients with chronic pain. Sociodemographic and clinical information were obtained and participants filled in the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and General Self-efficacy Scale.ResultsOf the 346 patients screened, 321 patients living with chronic pain were enrolled into the study. The prevalence of alexithymia among the study population (TAS-20 score ≥61) was 19.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 15.3-24.0). The findings showed anxiety (odds ratio [OR] = 2.474; 95% CI, 1.241-4.935), pain catastrophizing (2.649; 1.014-6.921), and self-efficacy (0.952; 0.908-0.988) as independent predictors of alexithymia in patients living with chronic pain.ConclusionsPatients with chronic pain exhibiting alexithymia were at higher risk of pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and lower self-efficacy, compared with patients without alexithymia. It is important to identify and pay a special attention in clinical practice to patients with chronic pain exhibiting alexithymia, as these individuals are unable to properly express their emotions.Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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