• Pain · May 2020

    A qualitative study of the experience and impact of neuropathic pain in people living with HIV.

    • Whitney Scott, Garcia Calderon Mendoza Del SolarMaiteMHealth Psychology Section, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom., Harriet Kemp, Lance M McCracken, C de C WilliamsAmandaAResearch Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom., and RiceAndrew S CASCDepartment of Surgery and Cancer, Pain Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom..
    • Health Psychology Section, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
    • Pain. 2020 May 1; 161 (5): 970-978.

    AbstractPainful distal symmetrical polyneuropathy is common in HIV and is associated with reduced quality of life. Research has not explored the experience of neuropathic pain in people with HIV from a person-centred perspective. Therefore, a qualitative interview study was conducted to more deeply understand the experience and impact of neuropathic pain in this population. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 26 people with HIV and peripheral neuropathic pain symptoms. Interviews explored the impact of pain and participants' pain management strategies. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Four themes and 11 subthemes were identified. Theme 1 reflects the complex characterisation of neuropathic pain, including the perceived unusual nature of this pain and diagnostic uncertainty. Theme 2 centred on the interconnected impacts of pain on mood and functioning and includes how pain disrupts relationships and threatens social inclusion. Theme 3 reflects the struggle for pain relief, including participants' attempts to "exhaust all options" and limited success in finding lasting relief. The final theme describes how pain management is complicated by living with HIV; this theme includes the influence of HIV stigma on pain communication and pain as an unwanted reminder of HIV. These data support the relevance of investigating and targeting psychosocial factors to manage neuropathic pain in HIV.

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