Adaptation des pratiques psychologiques en clinique de la douleur durant la pandémie de la COVID-19

Introduction

Clinical practice with chronic pain patients, shaken by the reorganization of the health care field, has required a rethinking of pain management. In order to continue the psychological support of patients, individual consultations or distance group workshops have been developed. A practice analysis group bringing together psychologists and psychotherapists shared their clinical experiences and experiences of the crisis.

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to explore the adaptation of clinical practices for chronic pain subjects; the experience of professionals; and to propose recommendations resulting from the collective reflections.

Method

The clinical research methodology was that of a focus group. Three two-hour videoconference meetings were held from September 2020 to May 2021. A thematic analysis of the transcripts was carried out with the NVivo qualitative analysis software.

Results

In all, 9 psychologists and psychotherapists participated in the focus group. The thematic analysis revealed three main themes, namely: (1) impact of the health crisis related to COVID-19; (2) adaptation of practices; (3) process of changing clinical practices.

Conclusion

Professionals report that the use of digital tools has limited the psychopathological impact of the health crisis on patients. The recommendations resulting from the collective reflections suggest maintaining remote care and relying on the support of the teams, the hierarchy, and peer exchange groups.