Pain communication in the context of osteoarthritis: Patient and partner self-efficacy for pain communication and holding back from discussion of pain and arthritis-related concerns

Objectives: This preliminary study examined aspects of pain communication (self-efficacy for pain communication and holding back from discussing pain and arthritis-related concerns) among patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and their partners, and associations between patient and partner pain communication and measures of patient and partner adjustment. Methods: A sample of 38 patients with OA and their partners completed measures of self-efficacy for pain communication and holding back from discussion of pain and arthritis-related concerns. Patients completed measures of pain, physical and psychologic disability, and pain catastrophizing, and partners completed measures of caregiver strain and positive and negative affect. Results: Correlation analyses indicated that, among patients, higher levels of self-efficacy for pain communication were associated with significantly lower levels of pain, physical and psychologic disability, and pain catastrophizing, and with lower levels of partner negative affect. Among partners, high self-efficacy for pain communication was associated with higher levels of positive affect. Among patients, higher levels of holding back were significantly correlated with higher levels of psychologic disability and catastrophizing. Higher levels of partner holding back were associated with significantly higher levels of caregiver strain, and with higher levels of patient psychologic disability and catastrophizing. Discussion: Taken together, results from this preliminary Study suggest that self-efficacy for pain communication and holding back from discussions of pain and arthritis-related concerns may be important in understanding how patients with OA and their partners adjust to the demands of the patient's disease.