{
  "abstract": "Background Chronic pain poses considerable personal and economic burden on society, affecting a substantial portion of the UK population, around 28 million adults. Following the IASP Classification of Chronic Pain, we define chronic pain as pain that persists or recurs for longer than three months. We know that people living with chronic pain report negative impact of pain on all domains of functioning including physical, emotional, social, and occupational. Despite wide recognition of the psychosocial aspects of pain, little is known about how social contexts are linked to chronic pain and its fluctuation over time, or why individual variation exists. The aim of this research is to characterise the role of individual, social and community contexts on transition into and out of chronic pain.Methods Using ethnographic approaches drawn from social science, we have spent a period of 12 months with 18 people who live with chronic pain, 11 women and 7 men. Participants were identified through the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and all reported that they had chronic pain at the time of recruitment. Data collection comprises of interviews and periods of shadowing (observations) with participants and members of their immediate social circles in homes and local communities. We conducted 295 research visits (observations and interviews), totalling approximately 417 hours spent with participants and members of their immediate social circles. Using inductive thematic analysis, we identified the ways that people make sense of their pain transitions in relation to their everyday lives.Results Early analysis indicates how social activities influence the experience of living with chronic pain. Social phenomenon, such as the quality of relationships with friends, family and employers, lifestyles, hobbies and activity within the daily routines of everyday life. Pain transitions tend to be influenced by a collection of social phenomena that change together. As such, alterations in close relationships or lifestyle, are not isolated events and play a considerable and important role in the onset, maintenance or reduction in chronic pain.Conclusion Interventions that focus on improving the quality of these relationships may provide an additional way to support people with chronic pain alongside existing interventions and approaches. This study highlights the importance of addressing the broader social context in which individuals navigate their lives.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Samantha Stone"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Rachael Gooberman-Hill"
    }
  ],
  "title": "OP43 The role of social contexts in pain transitions and everyday life: an ethnographic study",
  "uid": "2d9913af-8110-51c1-a244-877f3fb9bc65"
}