Staying at work with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain: a qualitative study of workers' experiences.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many people with chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain (CMP) have decreased work ability. The majority, however, stays at work despite their pain. Knowledge about workers who stay at work despite chronic pain is limited, narrowing our views on work participation. The aim of this study was to explore why people with CMP stay at work despite pain (motivators) and how they manage to maintain working (success factors).

Methods

A semi-structured interview was conducted among 21 subjects who stay at work despite CMP. Participants were included through purposeful sampling. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and imported into computer software Atlas.ti. Data was analyzed by means of thematic analysis. The interviews consisted of open questions such a

SUBMITTER: de Vries HJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3121659 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature