October 12, 2005 Source: University of New Brunswick - Saint John:
http://www.unb.ca/news/view.cgi?id=859 UNBF Researcher is Helping in the Fight Against Chronic Pain October 12, 2005
UNB Fredericton News Release: D390
Natalie Montgomery, Public Relations Officer (506) 451-6842 More than four million Canadians are affected by arthritis and fibromyalgia, and as our population continues to age, the prevalence of these conditions is expected to rise. Arthritis and fibromyalgia are huge economic burdens to the Canadian economy, costing an estimated $4.4 billion each year. Not to be overshadowed however, is the enormous personal cost for the individuals and families affected by these conditions. There is hope, however. Diane LaChapelle, assistant professor of psychology at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton and clinical psychologist, is working to improve the well-being of persons living with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Her clinical work and research are in the area of pain management and rehabilitation psychology. This specialized area of psychology uses psychological knowledge and principles to address the needs of individuals with chronic illness and disability. Dr. LaChapelle will discuss her research in more detail at the Emerging Issues in Psychology Conference at UNB Fredericton on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. in Kierstead Hall, Room 103. She will deliver the keynote address. Through her research, Dr. LaChapelle is investigating the pain experiences of individuals with arthritis and fibromyalgia. "The chronic pain caused by these two conditions can be immense," she said. "It can interfere with a person’s work, as well as social and leisure pursuits. This can lead to depression, anger, and anxiety." Dr. LaChapelle’s research involved two studies. The first, which focused on coping and pain beliefs, involved having people with arthritis and fibromyalgia complete a collection of questionnaires about pain, coping, beliefs, acceptance, and mental health. The second study, which focused on the process of acceptance, involved focus group interviews with people who have arthritis and fibromyalgia. "These studies revealed that there is a great deal of misinformation about chronic pain," said Dr. LaChapelle. Dr. LaChapelle found that when individuals held negative beliefs about pain, such as pain being a sign of harm or disability, they tended to engage in higher levels of avoidant coping strategies like guarding, resting, or asking for assistance. She adds that this can contribute to poor adjustment including higher levels of depression and anxiety and lower activity levels. "A key finding to emerge from the focus group interviews was that women with arthritis and fibromyalgia felt that lack of knowledge about their conditions and lack of support in the form of education and recommendations for coping from their health-care workers was a large barrier to their ability to accept and adjust to living a life with chronic pain." She says that these findings also indicate that there is a significant gap in the services individuals with arthritis and fibromyalgia are receiving. "Given the limited time family physicians can spend with their patients and the limited availability of specialists, we need to find alternative ways of getting patients the information they need." She emphasizes that increasing the knowledge and reducing the misinformation about pain is key to improving the management of arthritis and fibromyalgia. "Beyond basic medical management, it is clear that patients need appropriate education and support that would enable them to become informed about their condition and to take control of managing their condition themselves", said Dr. LaChapelle. Thanks to Dr. LaChapelle’s research, and the research of countless others, there is new hope in the fight against arthritis and other chronic pain conditions. - 30 -
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