The relationship of perceived empathy with levels of pain intensity and incapability among patients visiting a musculoskeletal specialist

Amirreza Fatehi; Laura E Brown; Yvonne Versluijs; Koen Van Maren; David Ring; Amanda Gonzalez; Sina Ramtin

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2023.107900

The relationship of perceived empathy with levels of pain intensity and incapability among patients visiting a musculoskeletal specialist

Patient Educ Couns. 2023 Oct:115:107900. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107900. Epub 2023 Jul 17.

Authors

Amirreza Fatehi¹, Laura E Brown², Yvonne Versluijs³, Koen Van Maren⁴, David Ring⁵, Amanda Gonzalez⁶, Sina Ramtin⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Health Discovery Building, MC Z0800, 1701 Trinity St., Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: Amir.Fatehi60@gmail.com.
² Center for Health Communication, Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin, 300 W. Dean Keaton, Austin, TX 78712-1069, USA. Electronic address: Laura.Brown@austin.utexas.edu.
³ Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Health Discovery Building, MC Z0800, 1701 Trinity St., Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: yvonneversluijs@gmail.com.
⁴ Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Health Discovery Building, MC Z0800, 1701 Trinity St., Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: k.vanmaren@student.ru.nl.
⁵ Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Health Discovery Building, MC Z0800, 1701 Trinity St., Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: David.Ring@austin.utexas.edu.
⁶ Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Health Discovery Building, MC Z0800, 1701 Trinity St., Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: amanda.gonzalez@hcuge.ch.
⁷ Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Health Discovery Building, MC Z0800, 1701 Trinity St., Austin, TX 78712, USA. Electronic address: Sina.Ramtin@austin.utexas.edu.

PMID: 37467592
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2023.107900

Abstract

Background: People that have more intense symptoms and greater incapability might have less rapport with the clinicians that care for them.

Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that perceived clinician empathy is related to pain intensity and magnitude of incapability among people seeing a musculoskeletal specialist.

Patient involvement: After a consult with a musculoskeletal specialist, 211 adult patients completed a survey recording demographics, and measures of pain intensity, incapability, and perceived clinician empathy.

Results: Higher perceived empathy was associated with being in a committed relationship and, to a modest degree (r = -0.16) lower pain intensity in bivariate and multivariable analyses.

Discussion: People experiencing greater pain may be slightly less likely to perceive the clinician as empathetic.

Practical value: Study of the relationship between the patient's experience of care and patient and clinician personal factors can inform efforts to improve patient experience. Advances may depend on experience measures with more normal distributions and less ceiling effect.

Keywords: Healthcare; Mental health; Musculoskeletal; Patient experience; Patient reported experience measure; Patient reported outcome measure; Perceived empathy; Psychosocial.

MeSH terms

Adult
Empathy*
Humans
Musculoskeletal Pain* / diagnosis
Pain
Pain Measurement
Surveys and Questionnaires