Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria
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Multicenter Study
Pain centers professionals' beliefs on non-cancer chronic pain.
The beliefs and attitudes of health professionals affect the care ultimately provided to patients. The objective of this study was to analyze health professionals' beliefs toward chronic no cancer pain in nine (82%) pain centers in the city of S. Paulo. ⋯ The professionals professed a belief in a medical cure for chronic pain, that solicitous displays were desirable behaviors in treating pain, that chronic pain is related to injury and that it is the cause of disability, all of which are erroneous beliefs. Contrary to the expected result, the health professionals with more experience and education did not express more appropriate beliefs. These beliefs may compromise the treatment of patients with chronic pain and should therefore be reviewed.