ABSTRACT
Self-management of chronic illnesses has been widely recognised as an important goal on quality of life, health service utilisation
and cost grounds. This study describes the first published account on the application of this approach to people suffering
from chronic pain conditions in a Southeast Asian country, Malaysia. A heterogeneous sample of chronic pain patients in Malaysia
attended a 2-week cognitive–behavioural pain management programme (PMP) aimed at improving daily functional activities and
general psychological well-being. Complete datasets from 70 patients out of 102 patients who attended 11 programmes conducted
from 2002 to 2007, as well as the 1-month and 1-year follow-up sessions at the hospital clinic, are reported. The pre- to
post-treatment results on self-report measures indicate that significant gains were achieved on the dimensions of pain, disability
and psychological well-being. These gains were maintained at both 1-month and 1-year follow-ups. The results mirror those
reported from similar interventions in Europe and North America and indicate the concept of self-management of a chronic illness
is acceptable and meaningful to Asian patients. Importantly, the achieved outcomes were independent of gender and ethnic group
status.
and cost grounds. This study describes the first published account on the application of this approach to people suffering
from chronic pain conditions in a Southeast Asian country, Malaysia. A heterogeneous sample of chronic pain patients in Malaysia
attended a 2-week cognitive–behavioural pain management programme (PMP) aimed at improving daily functional activities and
general psychological well-being. Complete datasets from 70 patients out of 102 patients who attended 11 programmes conducted
from 2002 to 2007, as well as the 1-month and 1-year follow-up sessions at the hospital clinic, are reported. The pre- to
post-treatment results on self-report measures indicate that significant gains were achieved on the dimensions of pain, disability
and psychological well-being. These gains were maintained at both 1-month and 1-year follow-ups. The results mirror those
reported from similar interventions in Europe and North America and indicate the concept of self-management of a chronic illness
is acceptable and meaningful to Asian patients. Importantly, the achieved outcomes were independent of gender and ethnic group
status.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Research
- Pages 1-8
- DOI 10.1007/s13142-011-0095-2
- Authors
- Mary Cardosa, Hospital Selayang, Selayang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Zubaidah Jamil Osman, Department of Psychiatry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Michael Nicholas, Pain Management Research Institute, University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Lois Tonkin, Pain Management Research Institute, University of Sydney at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Amanda Williams, University College London, London, UK
- Khuzaimah Abd Aziz, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Ramli Mohd Ali, Hospital Permai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
- Norhana Mohd Dahari, HospitalSerdang, Serdang, Malaysia
- Journal Translational Behavioral Medicine
- Online ISSN 1613-9860
- Print ISSN 1869-6716