The Day My Life Changed: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Patients With New Daily Persistent Headache.
Headache
; 60(1): 124-140, 2020 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31769513
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
This study aimed to explore the views and experiences of a group of Spanish patients suffering from new daily persistent headache (NDPH).METHODS:
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with patients diagnosed with NDPH. Purposeful sampling was performed among patients attending a specialized Headache Unit at 2 university hospitals between February 2017 and December 2018. In total, 18 patients (11 women, 7 men; mean age 45.3, standard deviation 10.6) with a median duration of illness of 70 months (interquartile range, 24-219) were recruited to this study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, researchers' field notes and patients' drawings. Thematic analysis was used to identify emerging themes.RESULTS:
Three main themes were identified (1) the origin of the illness and seeking answers; (2) characteristics of the pain; and (3) the impact of pain on patients' lives. The patients precisely recalled the time of onset and the trigger of the pain. Pain was constantly present, although it varied in form. At the onset, pain was perceived as a sign of alarm while, over time, it became an invisible illness. The headache commonly had a major impact on everyday life and could cause lifestyle changes. In addition, pain could be emotionally disruptive and could also lead to family estrangement and a search for solitude.CONCLUSIONS:
Our results provide insight into how NDPH is experienced, which may be helpful in managing NDPH patients. In our cohort, patients identified precipitating events but sought answers regarding the origin of their illness and their pain. Pain was a continuous sensation that had a major impact on patients' daily lives and emotions.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Qualidade de Vida
/
Atitude Frente a Saúde
/
Transtornos da Cefaleia
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
País como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article