Thoughts and care-seeking behavior regarding muscle and joint pain: a semi-structured interview study across three generations within three families.

Kasper Tybjerg, Anne Hedegård, Julie Rosenfeldt, Anne Rømsgaard, Christian Lund Straszek
Purpose:

We aimed to investigate if and how thoughts and care-seeking behaviour related to muscle and joint pain may overlap over three generations within families and how such overlap may be presented.

Methods:

In this qualitative study, we collected semi-structured interview material from three different families who lived in three different regions of Denmark. Three informants, representing three different generations (i.e., grandparent, parent, and child) within each of the three families were interviewed. The interview guide was informed by theory and empirical research on the bio-psycho-social approach to pain experiences, thoughts about muscle and joint pain, and care-seeking behaviour. The interview material was collected through dictaphones and transcribed and analysed using Nvivo software. We applied the 6-step thematic analysis approach as described by Braun and Clarke. The primary analysis was conducted within each of the three families. In a secondary analysis, we aimed to uncover similarities and differences between the three families.

Results:

Based on the primary analysis, we found a distinct overlap of thoughts and care-seeking behaviour among family members within each of the three families. For some families, these overlaps were related to the words used to describe pain, when healthcare was sought for muscle and joint pain, and which healthcare provider was sought. From the secondary analysis, we found that the three families would differ from each other in terms of thought and care-seeking behaviour for muscle and joint pain.

Conclusion(s):

The findings from this study suggest there is an overlap in thoughts and care-seeking behaviour related to muscle and joint pain within distinct families. Our findings further suggest that thoughts and care-seeking behaviour related to muscle and joint pain differ between different families.

Implications:

The findings from the current study provide novel insight into how environmental factors related to the family may influence thoughts and care-seeking behaviour among individuals with muscle and joint pain.

Funding acknowledgements:
This project was conducted without external funding.
Keywords:
Pain
Interviews
care-seeking
Primary topic:
Musculoskeletal
Second topic:
Pain and pain management
Did this work require ethics approval?:
No
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
Yes

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