Pain coping strategies and their effectiveness in managing and reducing pain in patients after planned surgical procedures: an observational study

Background: It is well known that postoperative pain control is very important because it prevents the negative effects of untreated pain and reduces the development of postoperative complications. The experience of postoperative pain and the choice of coping strategies after surgery are very different and individual. Therefore, staff must take a more individualized approach to pain management to optimize postoperative pain relief.Aim of the study: The main objective of this study was to evaluate pain management strategies and their effectiveness in managing and reducing pain in patients after planned surgical procedures.Material and Methods: The observational study was conducted at EuroMediCare St. Roch Specialized Hospital in Ozimek in the Department of General Surgery from November 2019 to February 2020. The study included 100 patients after elective surgical procedures. The study used the Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, and a questionnaire created by the author independently.Results: Analysis revealed that the patient's age affects pain coping strategies scores (p = 0.035). Place of residence influenced the use of strategies of ignoring experience (p = 0.031) and increased behavioural activity (p = 0.014). There was a correlation between pain management and the use of diverting attention (r = 0.236; p = 0.018), ignoring experiences (r = 0.386; p = 0.000), declaration of coping (r = 0.384; p = 0.000), increased behavioural activity (r = 0.335; p = 0.001) and between ability to reduce pain and the use of strategies to ignoring experiences (r = 0.325; p = 0.001), declaration of coping (r = 0.244; p = 0.014) and increased behavioural activity (r = 0.271; p = 0.006). It was observed that the use of catastrophising strategies affected the ability to control (r = - 0.273; p = 0.006) and reduce pain (r = - 0.265; p = 0.008).Conclusions: Age and place of residence should be taken into account when planning analgesic therapy for post-surgery patients, as those over 60 years of age were less likely to use a declared pain management strategy, and patients living in small towns and rural areas were significantly less likely to manage and reduce pain. The use of catastrophising strategy determined a lower ability to control and reduce pain.