Multidimensional pain profiling in people living with obesity and attending weight management services: a protocol for a longitudinal cohort study

Abstract

IntroductionPain is prevalent in people living with overweight and obesity. Obesity is associated with increased self-reported pain intensity and pain-related disability, reductions in physical functioning and poorer psychological well-being. People living with obesity tend to respond less well to pain treatments or management compared with people living without obesity. Mechanisms linking obesity and pain are complex and may include contributions from and interactions between physiological, behavioural, psychological, sociocultural, biomechanical and genetic factors. Our aim is to study the multidimensional pain profiles of people living with obesity, over time, in an attempt to better understand the relationship between obesity and pain.Methods and analysisThis longitudinal observational cohort study will recruit (n=216) people living with obesity and who are newly attending three weight management services in Ireland. Participants will complete questionnaires that assess their multidimensional biopsychosocial pain experience at baseline and at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months post-recruitment. Quantitative analyses will characterise the multidimensional pain experiences and trajectories of the cohort as a whole and in defined subgroups.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol has been approved by the Ethics and Medical Research Committee of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group, Dublin, Ireland (reference no: RS21-059) and the University College Dublin Human Research Ethics Committee (reference no: LS-E-22-41-Hinwood-Smart). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, public and patient advocacy groups, and social media.Study registrationOpen Science Framework Registration DOI:https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/QCWUE.

Correlation between Various Factors and Pain in Gynecological Cancer Patients within the First 24 Hours Post-Operation: A Study in an Urban-Based Tertiary Medical Center

“…However, the worst pain scores did not differ significantly among the various BMI groups (table 5). Several studies have also demonstrated that obesity is associated with increased self-reported pain intensity and severity compared to individuals with normal BMI [25][26] .…”

The experiences of people living with obesity and chronic pain: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) protocol

“…This study is a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis. Understanding the lived experience of people living with obesity and/or chronic pain is fundamental to usefully guide health and social policy and inform the planning and implementation of treatment strategies [44][45][46][47][48].…”

“…While Cooper et al 2017 has also provided great insights into the experiences of people overweight and those living with multimorbidity of obesity and CMP, three of the four studies included are now more than a decade old, with several important advancements in the understanding of both pain and obesity in that time. The disease of obesity and disorder of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) are both complex, and weight loss treatments are only a part of the treatment continuum [42][43][44]. Understanding the interaction between these illnesses through the lived experiences of this population is fundamental to establishing what is most meaningful to this population and highlighting further knowledge gaps and treatment opportunities.…”