Development, Cultural Adaptation, and Content Validation of Urdu Pain Neuroscience Education Materials for Low Back Pain in Pakistan
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| LBP | Low back pain |
| PNE | Pain neuroscience education |
| CVR | Content validity ratio |
References
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| Characteristic | Category | n (%) or Mean ± SD |
|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder group | Total | 32 (100) |
| Physiotherapists | 8 (25.0) | |
| Medical practitioners | 6 (18.8) | |
| Exercise professionals | 8 (25.0) | |
| Individuals with LBP | 10 (31.2) | |
| Clinical experience (years) | HCPs managing back pain (n = 22) | 9.4 ± 5.8 years |
| Age (years) | Overall panel | 41.2 ± 10.6 |
| Healthcare professionals | 39.8 ± 9.7 | |
| Individuals with LBP | 44.1 ± 11.9 | |
| Back pain duration (years) | Individuals with LBP (n = 10) | 6.3 ± 4.1 |
| Validation Domain | Cluster 1 | Cluster 2 | Cluster 3 | Cluster 4 | Cluster 5 | Mean CVR (±SD) | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content accuracy and clinical relevance | 0.75 | 0.875 | 0.875 | 0.9375 | 0.875 | 0.86 ± 0.07 | High agreement |
| Clarity and readability | 0.625 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.6875 | 0.71 ± 0.05 | Strong |
| Cultural appropriateness and metaphors | 0.6875 | 0.9375 | 0.875 | 1.00 | 0.875 | 0.88 ± 0.11 | Very high agreement |
| Illustration and layout quality | 0.5625 | 0.625 | 0.625 | 0.625 | 0.50 | 0.59 ± 0.05 | Acceptable |
| Flow and organisation | 0.50 | 0.5625 | 0.5625 | 0.5625 | 0.5625 | 0.55 ± 0.02 | Acceptable |
| Engagement and tone | 0.4375 | 0.6875 | 0.6875 | 0.6875 | 0.6875 | 0.64 ± 0.10 | Strong |
| Perceived feasibility and utility | 0.375 | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.5625 | 0.5625 | 0.50 ± 0.07 | Acceptable perceived feasibility |
| Module | Key Concept | Urdu Metaphor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understanding Pain—Pain is protection, not damage | گھر بارش میں (House in Rain) |
| 2 | Mind–Body Connection—Fear and thoughts influence pain | چوکیدار زیادہ محتاط (Over-Protective Guard) |
| 3 | Motion Is Medicine—Gentle movement teaches safety | زنگ لگا دروازہ (Rusting Door) |
| 4 | Healthy Habits—Sleep, diet, and stress affect pain | توازن کی ترازو (Balance Scale) |
| 5 | Recovery and Hope—Brains can re-learn safety | روشنی کا سفر (Journey of Light) |
| 6 | Self-care—Supported by personal values/faith | ایمان اور عمل (Faith and Action) |
| 7 | Communication—Words as medicine in healing | الفاظ کا مرہم (Words as Medicine) |
| 8 | Family Support—Encouragement reduces fear | گھر کی طاقت (Strength of Family) |
| 9 | Movement Confidence—Gradual exposure builds trust | پگڈنڈی راستہ (Path to Confidence) |
| 10 | Relapse and Resilience—Flare-ups are learning, not failure | سفر جاری ہے (Journey Continues) |
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Khan, M.N.U.; Malhotra, A.; Cameron, M. Development, Cultural Adaptation, and Content Validation of Urdu Pain Neuroscience Education Materials for Low Back Pain in Pakistan. Med. Sci. 2026, 14, 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14010054
Khan MNU, Malhotra A, Cameron M. Development, Cultural Adaptation, and Content Validation of Urdu Pain Neuroscience Education Materials for Low Back Pain in Pakistan. Medical Sciences. 2026; 14(1):54. https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14010054
Chicago/Turabian StyleKhan, Muhammad Naseeb Ullah, Aastha Malhotra, and Melainie Cameron. 2026. "Development, Cultural Adaptation, and Content Validation of Urdu Pain Neuroscience Education Materials for Low Back Pain in Pakistan" Medical Sciences 14, no. 1: 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14010054
APA StyleKhan, M. N. U., Malhotra, A., & Cameron, M. (2026). Development, Cultural Adaptation, and Content Validation of Urdu Pain Neuroscience Education Materials for Low Back Pain in Pakistan. Medical Sciences, 14(1), 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14010054

