An update on resources, procedures and healthcare provision in pain units: A survey of spanish practitioners
Polo-Santos M. Videla-Cés S. Pérez-Hernández C. Mayoral-Rojals V. Victoria Ribera-Canudas M. Sarría-Santamera A.
2 January 2021MDPI AG
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
2021#18Issue 21 - 11 pp.
Multidisciplinary pain treatment units are recommended to provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain, a complex clinical syndrome and one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. The objective of this study was to provide updated results on the situation of pain treatment units in Spain and to determine compliance with recommendations proposed by de Spanish Ministry of Health (SMH). A cross-sectional, prospective, multicenter survey was performed, collecting data on resources, procedures and healthcare provision. Between March and May 2019, the Spanish Pain Society sent an invitation letter to 183 pain units with a link to the questionnaire. Sixty-nine units from 13 regions agreed to participate. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain criteria, only 12 units were classified as multidisciplinary pain centers. Most (95.7%) were in hospitals, 82.6% from the public sector, and 46.4% had protocols to coordinate with primary care. Interviewees rated the adequacy of facilities at 6.3 (from 0 to 10). Moreover, 67% of interviewees found that there were insufficient staff, with no mental health professionals, physical therapists or social workers in 49.3%, 87.0% and 97.1% units, respectively. Only 24 pain units had a day hospital, 44.9% offered psychological interventions, and 79.7% supported teaching and research activities. Results suggest that a small proportion of Spanish pain units meet the national standards for multidisciplinary pain units proposed by the SMH.
Assessment , Multidisciplinary care , Pain unit , Questionnaire
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Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias del Instituto de Salud Carlos III-Avenida Monforte de Lemos 5, Madrid, 28029, Spain
Spanish Network of Health Services Research and Chronic Diseases (REDISSEC) (MPS, ASS), Madrid, 28029, Spain
Societat Catalana de Dolor, Academia Ciències Mediques de Catalunya i de Balears, Barcelona, 08017, Spain
Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Clínica, Departamento de Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, L’Hospitalet del Llobregat, Barcelona, 08907, Spain
Pharmacology Unit, Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, IDIBELL, University of Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, 08907, Spain
Sociedad Española del Dolor, Paseo de la Castellana 241, Madrid, 28046, Spain
Unidad del dolor Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Madrid, 28006, Spain
Unidad de dolor Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge-IDIBELL, Barcelona, 08907, Spain
Departament of Medicine, Nazarbayev University School of Medicine, Kerey and Zhanibek Khans St, 010000, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias del Instituto de Salud Carlos III-Avenida Monforte de Lemos 5
Spanish Network of Health Services Research and Chronic Diseases (REDISSEC) (MPS
Societat Catalana de Dolor
Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Clínica
Pharmacology Unit
Sociedad Española del Dolor
Unidad del dolor Hospital Universitario de la Princesa
Unidad de dolor Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge-IDIBELL
Departament of Medicine
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