Abstract
Background: Research has revealed the influence of spouses on the complaints of patients with non-specific chronic pain, and vice versa. The effect of multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment (MRT) on patients’ spouses has not been studied yet.
Methods: Prospective cohort study. Patients with chronic pain admitted to an outpatient rehabilitation treatment and their spouses filled out questionnaires at pre-treatment (T0), start of treatment (T1), end of treatment (T2), and three months after treatment (T3). Primary outcome measure was psychological distress of the spouses (SCL-90-R). Secondary outcome measures were life satisfaction (Lisat-9), health-related quality of life (RAND-36), catastrophizing (PCS), self-efficacy (DGSES) and strain (CSI) of spouses.
Results: The analysis included 39 couples. Mean scores (SD) of the spouses on the SCL-90-R at T0–T3 were 112 (SD 21), 119 (SD 27), 114 (SD 33) and 107 (SD 17), respectively (differences non-significant). The PCS scores of the spouses and their mean scores on the social domain of the RAND-36 improved significantly, as did the score for the physical domain of the RAND-36 before treatment and the DGSES score after treatment. No differences were found in the spouses’ scores on the CSI and most Lisat-9 or other domains of the RAND-36. The patients benefited from the treatment, with significant changes in scores on the SCL-90-R and most domains of the RAND-36.
Conclusions: Spouses had favourable changes in their scores on social life and catastrophizing tendency. Our study also confirms that patients with non-specific chronic pain benefit from MRT.