• K Gerbershagen, M Trojan, J Kuhn, V Limmroth, and H Bewermeyer.
• Klinik für Neurologie und Palliativmedizin, Klinikum Köln-Merheim,Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, Ostmerheimer Str. 200, 51109 Köln, Deutschland. gerbershagenk@kliniken-koeln.de
• Schmerz. 2008 Oct 1;22(5):586-93.

BackgroundModern medical analgesia is based on a bio-psycho-social model of disease. From this bio-psycho-social perspective it seems essential to include religiosity in the multidimensional and interdisciplinary assessment of pain patients.Material And MethodsA total of 450 consecutively referred in- and outpatients to a neurological department completed an epidemiologic pain questionnaire. This patient self-administered questionnaire included diagnostic screening tests for anxiety and depression, a generic health-related quality of life measure and sociodemographic questions. Pain severity grades and pain chronicity stages were measured. The acceptance of chronic pain was assessed with the chronic pain acceptance questionnaire. The significance of religiosity was measured employing the structure of religiosity test.ResultsOf the neurological patients 82% complained of having had pain within the past 3 months and 79% within the last 12 months. Patients who accepted the pain and pursued their daily activities despite the pain were less depressive and anxious and showed an enhanced health-related quality of life. The importance of religion to the pain patients was associated with a higher level of pain tolerance.ConclusionsThis study proved that the significance of religiosity to the patient is related to psychic distress and health-related quality of life and at the same time may play an important role in the bio-psycho-social pain concept.

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