A study of people with chronic pain navigating the welfare system
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What is the impact of navigating the welfare benefits system on the mental and physical health of individuals with chronic pain? An exploratory qualitative study
IRAS ID
241153
Contact name
Rosanna McLoughlin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 11 days
Research summary
This project aims to investigate how individuals living with a chronic pain condition navigate and understand the welfare benefits system in the UK. Chronic pain is a condition which affects individuals for at least four months and the cause of the pain is often unidentified or invisible. The condition affects approximately 19-25% of the population and varies in severity and disability. Previous research has found that individuals with chronic pain find some medical practitioners do not believe their symptoms are real. As those applying for welfare benefits require medical proof and 'evidence' of their ill-health for both employment and disability related benefits, individuals with chronic pain may struggle to navigate this system.
There have been concerns that the reassessment of welfare benefits is causing great distress and may worsen an individual's physical and mental health.This study aims to explore the journey of individuals with chronic pain applying for welfare benefits and seeks to understand how navigating this system may impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of participants. The project will use interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as the analytic strategy; this approach aims to provide insight into the specific lived experience of a significant life event. This approach means the study will be a qualitative project and so individuals with experience of chronic pain and the benefit system will be interviewed and asked questions about how this process has affected their mental and physical health. We will ask people to take part who are already NHS patients in the chronic pain NHS team and also ask people to take part from recruitment posters outwith the NHS. By investigating this area the study aims to better understand how applying to the welfare system may impact on the health and wellbeing of those with chronic pain.
REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
19/SS/0010
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jan 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion