Supporting asylum seekers and refugees who suffer chronic pain: an experience

Abstract

Purpose

Refugees and asylum seekers often present complex health needs, including chronic pain, related to traumatic experiences. To help them manage their pain, the Wellbeing and Self-Care Service provides health advice, pain education, soft tissue manual therapies and training in self-help techniques. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A 0-10 pain scale (0= no pain, 10= very severe pain) is used to record reported intensity of pain before and after treatment. Change is analysed by comparing the position of a tick on the scale before and after therapy. In follow-up appointments, attendees were asked whether they were practicing self-help techniques; if they experienced improvement, and if so, how long it lasted; and whether they had reduced the use of painkillers.

Findings

From April 2014 to March 2015, 192 people were seen in 524 therapeutic encounters (63 per cent females, 37 per cent males). In total, 173 (90 per cent) were asylum seekers and refugees. Of the refugees and asylum seekers, 40 per cent were torture survivors. After treatment, 53 per cent of the 192 people treated showed a major reduction of pain, and 39 per cent a moderate reduction. In follow-up encounters, 87 per cent reported improvement (⩾2 weeks, 46 per cent), 70 per cent reported a reduction in the use of painkillers and 83 per cent reported that they practiced self-help techniques to different degrees.

Originality/value

Soft tissue manual therapies combined with education and training that emphasise communication and active patient participation in the healing process are non-invasive therapeutic approaches that can confer temporary relief to refugees and asylum seekers suffering chronic pain.

Citation

Negron, A. (2018), "Supporting asylum seekers and refugees who suffer chronic pain: an experience", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 55-67. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-02-2016-0011