Factors for predicting premature termination from a multidisciplinary inpatient chronic pain program.
Forty-eight chronic pain patients who were discharged from or left the 21-day inpatient component of a multidisciplinary pain program prior to completion were compared with a randomly selected matched group of program patients who stayed the entire 21 days. The purpose of the study was to determine if pre-admission factors are useful in predicting whether a chronic pain patient will complete an inpatient pain program. The results of pre-admission MMPI, POMS, MPQ, and information obtained from a questionnaire specially created for the program were studied. On the tests, the non-completers admitted to less psychopathology than those who did complete the program. The non-completers also had a higher number of pain-related surgeries and were more likely to be college graduates; limited social support from their families and lower MMPI premature termination scale scores were also found. Implications of these findings for the management of chronic pain patients are discussed.
King
Steven A
SA
Pain Management Service, Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NYU.S.A. Orthopaedic-Arthritis Pain Center, Hospital for Joint Diseases Orthopaedic Institute, New York, NYU.S.A.
Snow
Barry R
BR
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009985:Orthopedics; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D059408:Pain Management; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires