ABSTRACT
In this study, we examined the psychometric properties of the Fear of Pain Questionnaire (FPQ-9) in Indigenous Australian people. FPQ-9, a shorter version of the original Fear of Pain Questionnaire-III, was developed to support the demand for more concise scales with faster administration time in the clinical and research setting. The psychometric properties of FPQ-9 in Indigenous Australian participants (n = 735) were evaluated with network psychometrics, such as dimensionality, model fit, internal consistency and reliability, measurement invariance, and criterion validity. Our findings indicated that the original FPQ-9 three-factor structure had a poor fit and did not adequately capture pain-related fear in Indigenous Australian people. On removal of two cross-loading items, an adapted version Indigenous Australian Fear of Pain Questionnaire-7 (IA-FPQ-7) displayed good fit and construct validity and reliability for assessing fear of pain in a sample of Indigenous Australian people. The IA-FPQ-7 scale could be used to better understand the role and impact of fear of pain in Indigenous Australian people living with chronic pain. This could allow for more tailored and timely interventions for managing pain in Indigenous Australian communities.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: This study was conducted to determine the effect of pain experienced during the COVID-19 infection on the fear of pain and quality of life of individuals. BACKGROUND: Pain is a complex, multidimensional, neurophysiological and psychosocial experience known only to the person experiencing pain. Although there are studies showing that individuals with COVID-19 experience pain, there are no studies that evaluate the relationship between fear of pain and quality of life of people after COVID-19 infection. DESIGN: The study was carried out as descriptive, comparative and correlational design. METHODS: Snowball sampling method was used in the research and the data were collected online. A total of 404 individuals participated in the study. The data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Questionnaire, Numeric Rating Scale, Fear of Pain Questionnaire-III and The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire. RESULTS: It was determined that 87.1% of the individuals experienced pain during COVID-19 and the mean intensity of this pain was 6.16 ± 2.75. In addition, 37.1% of the individuals experienced pain for a while after COVID-19 and the mean intensity of this pain was 3.81 ± 3.00. The individuals who experienced pain during COVID-19 had higher fear of pain and lower quality of life than those who did not experience pain. There was a significant correlation between the severity of pain experienced during COVID-19 with the fear of pain and the quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of the study, it can be said that individuals who experienced intense pain during COVID-19 infection have higher fear of pain and lower quality of life. In addition, as the fear of pain increases, the quality of life of individuals decreases.