Improving analgesic use in ongoing musculoskeletal pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient-centred Approach for Improved Analgesic Use in Ongoing Musculoskeletal Pain
IRAS ID
345571
Contact name
Vasileios Georgopoulos
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 30 days
Research summary
Aim: To understand how people with ongoing musculoskeletal pain use pain-relieving medicines. This knowledge will help create a new way to support people in managing their condition more effectively.
Background: Musculoskeletal pain is considered ongoing if it lasts 3-months or more. It affects over 20-million people in the UK. Half of them do not experience benefits from pain-relieving medicines for different reasons including not being prescribed correctly, not fully understanding how effective they will be or having side effects (stomach problems, sleepiness, fatigue, and reduced concentration). National guidelines for managing ongoing pain suggest there is a need to develop treatments that improve the use of pain-relieving medicines. These need to bring together clinical recommendations with each person’s own preferences about ‘whether, when, and how’ to take pain-relieving medicines. Getting the full benefits from medicines can help people with ongoing pain stay active, keep working, and improve their sleep and mood. When pain limits a person’s activity or independence, it can make it harder for them and their doctor to work together on managing the condition. Helping people with ongoing musculoskeletal pain use pain-relieving medicines more effectively can make these medicines work better, supporting their pain management goals.
Methods: Interviews with patients, family members or carers, and health professionals to gather their views on the use of pain-relieving medicines by patients. Findings will be compared between participant subgroups and with published evidence.
Dissemination: Results will be shared with professional and public groups through conferences, community events, and publications in reputable international journals.
Impact: Findings will assist the development of an intervention that aims to help people with ongoing musculoskeletal pain to experience the most benefit from pain-relieving medicines. This will help to improve quality of life, reduce the number of healthcare visits, and the overall cost of treatment.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/EM/0075
Date of REC Opinion
29 Apr 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion