Association between religiosity and spirituality and chronic pain in patients with chronic shoulder pain

Abstract

Chronic shoulder pain is one of the most frequent pain syndromes in the population and represents a disabling factor for individuals, with physical, psychological and economic consequences. The literature reports that chronic pain is influenced and adjusted by several biopsychosocial variables, with emphasis on self-efficacy, optimism, religiosity and spirituality. These variables can act as health protective factors for the health of individuals with chronic shoulder pain, and have been related to better health, reflecting better coping with pain and, consequently, less pain intensity and disability. Despite the growing scientific interest in the relationship between religiosity and spirituality in health, the literature still shows conflicting results and lacks studies that show the role of religious and spiritual beliefs for patients with chronic shoulder pain. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the associations of religiosity and spirituality, optimism and religious coping with the intensity of shoulder pain, pain and disability and with the self-efficacy of individuals with chronic shoulder pain. For this, a cross-sectional observational study will be carried out with 75 individuals over 18 years old with pain in the proximal anterolateral aspect of the shoulder for at least three months. Participants will have to answer characteristics questions on the ARCO Assessment Form and the following questionnaires and scales will be applied: Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), Life Orientation Test (LOT), Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12), Brief Scale for Spiritual/Religious Coping (SR-COPE14) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Multiple Linear Regression will be performed to verify the influence of psychosocial factors on the variables of pain, incapacity and self-efficacy. The associations will be established by Pearson's or Sperman's Correlation. All statistical analyzes will be performed using the StatisticalPackage for the Social Sciences program.