Patient and Provider Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators to the Acceptance of Pain Neuroscience Education in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Conditions: A Qualitative Systematic Review Protocol

Objective: To identify and map barriers and facilitators to the acceptance of pain neuroscience education for chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions. Introduction: Pain neuroscience education aims to reconceptualize the understanding of the biology of pain. This includes the acknowledgment of physiological and psychological processes relevant to pain experiences to ultimately change maladaptive beliefs and behaviors. Pain neuroscience education in chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions has been demonstrated to positively influence relevant treatment outcomes. Inclusion criteria: Only qualitative studies will be included. The population will include patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and healthcare providers involved in pain management. The phenomenon of interest encompasses educational interventions on the biology and psychology of pain, which aim to reconceptualize patients’ understanding of pain. Methods: A comprehensive search strategy will be conducted on MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, PsycInfo, and CINHAL. Two reviewers will independently conduct the study selection process, critical appraisal, data extraction, and data synthesis. Discrepancies will be resolved by a third reviewer. The assessment of methodological quality will be guided by JBI’s critical appraisal checklist for qualitative research. Qualitative data synthesis will follow the JBI SUMARI meta-aggregation approach. Considerations of the certainty in the results will be reported in accordance with a ConQual Summary of Findings.