The Clinical journal of pain
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Functional capacity evaluation as a performance measure: evidence for a new approach for clients with chronic back pain.
To report the research and development of a new approach to Functional Capacity Evaluation, the Gibson Approach to Functional Capacity Evaluation (GAPP FCE) for chronic back pain clients. ⋯ The evidence thus far available supports the GAPP FCE as an approach that provides a sound method for evaluating the performance of the physical demands of work with clients with chronic back pain. The tool has been shown to have good face and content validity, to meet acceptable test standards, and to have reasonable interrater reliability. Further research is occurring to look at a larger interrater reliability study, to further examine content validity, and to examine predictive validity.
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Comparative Study
The differential influence of pain and fatigue on physical performance and health status in ambulatory patients with human immunodeficiency virus.
The purposes of this study were to: 1) characterize physical performance in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus; and 2) examine group differences by pain and fatigue on a multivariate profile of disease, physical, and psychologic symptoms. ⋯ Pain has a substantial impact on physical performance and quality of life among ambulatory human immunodeficiency virus patients. Fatigue also impacts physical performance. Compromised ability to perform certain physical tasks affects quality of life. Further investigation of the roles of these relevant variables should be investigated in path analyses.
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Comparative Study
Working through the pain: a controlled study of the impact of persistent pain on performing a computer task.
A large percentage of employees experience persistent pain while at work. This situation can become costly to employers with large amounts of lost production-time, absenteeism, and long-term disability. The link or transition between working through (ignoring) pain and disabling pain is unknown. This paper presents the results of a controlled study examining the impact of persistent pain on performance in a working population. Benefits of early detection are discussed. ⋯ Unlike other studies that either induced pain or used persons with complex pain conditions, this study used participants with a low level of pain intensity and had a majority still engaged in full-time employment. Our results found that people with persistent low-level pain demonstrate a reduction in performance compared with controls. Our study revealed that using a sensitive tool to detect minor performance deficits could indicate pain interference. The early detection of pain interference would provide an opportunity for prevention programs to have a pre-emptive effect on work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
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Comparative Study
Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress symptoms in litigating motor vehicle accident victims.
There has been little research examining chronic pain and posttraumatic stress symptoms in persons injured in motor vehicle accidents. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in physical injury and impairment, psychological distress, and pain coping strategies in litigating chronic pain patients low and high in motor vehicle accident-related posttraumatic stress symptoms. ⋯ Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress symptoms in litigating motor vehicle accident victims are associated with increased physical and psychological morbidity.