Lived and Care Experiences of Chronic Musculoskeletal Shoulder Pain in Australian Adults: A Qualitative Study
Date
Authors
Ranelli, Sonia
Jordan, Joanne E
Ackerman, Ilana N
Thorpe, Alison
Persaud, Jennifer G
Woodhouse, Linda J
Chua, Jason
Horgan, Ben
Briggs, Andrew M
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Australian evidence on lived and care experiences of chronic musculoskeletal shoulder pain (CMSP), irrespective of disorder classification or disease, is limited. However, such evidence is important for person-centred care and informing local service pathways and care guidelines or standards. To address this gap, we explored i) lived experiences of adults with CMSP across domains of the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health (ICF) Framework, and ii) their care experiences, preferences and priorities for CMSP. METHODS: A qualitative study, applying a phenomenological approach and purposive sampling was conducted with adults experiencing CMSP. Individual semi-structured interviews, informed by ICF domains, explored lived and care experiences/preferences of participants. Data were analysed using an inductive approach, by objective. RESULTS: Twenty adults (50% women) with diverse CMSP conditions/diagnoses, clinical profiles and age (21-76 years) participated. Five lived experience themes were identified: 1) impact on body functioning; 2) impact on sleep, energy and drive; 3) impact on mental well-being and evolving sense of self; 4) coping with CMSP; and 5) social support and participation. Four care experience themes included: 1) care seeking choices; 2) interactions with healthcare professionals (HCPs); and 3) values and preferences for components of CMSP care. CONCLUSIONS: Adults with CMSP experience impacts across life stages in multiple domains of functioning (ICF categories) relating to personal and social dimensions. Clinical encounters, particularly interactions with HCPs, influence an individual's confidence and engagement in their care. Discussion, education and goal setting through shared decision-making are valued attributes of clinical encounters among people with CMSP.Description
Keywords
32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 4201 Allied Health and Rehabilitation Science, 4203 Health Services and Systems, 3202 Clinical Sciences, 42 Health Sciences, Pain Research, Clinical Research, Social Determinants of Health, Behavioral and Social Science, Chronic Pain, 7.1 Individual care needs, 7.3 Management and decision making, 3 Good Health and Well Being, 1103 Clinical Sciences, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, 1701 Psychology, 3202 Clinical sciences, 4201 Allied health and rehabilitation science
Source
Arthritis Care and Research, ISSN: 2151-464X (Print); 2151-4658 (Online), Wiley, 78(2), 282-295. doi: 10.1002/acr.25614
Publisher's version
Rights statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Arthritis Care & Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Rheumatology. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.