Psychosocial experiences of foreign and native patients with/without pain

The psychosocial experiences of foreign/native primary care patients with/without pain were examined. The study comprised 328 foreign patients and 794 native patients who completed various scales (e.g. burnout). The design was cross-sectional and data were collected over 15 consecutive days at 20 randomly selected primary care centres. Pain patients were faring worse than pain-free patients concerning demographics/finances, depression, burnout and job demands/control/strain. Foreign pain patients had the worst situation of all patients. Foreign background was a risk factor for depression and burnout. Foreign pain patients also had a more severe clinical situation (e.g. disability) than native pain patients and being a foreign pain patient was associated with a higher risk of disability/the diagnosis of multiple pain. However, foreign background was not a pain risk factor. Female gender was a risk factor for pain and for complex/constant pain/disability. Variables such as sick leave were also important. The authors confirmed previous research and may have provided new insights into the experiences of foreign/native primary care patients with/without pain. However, further research appears necessary, not the least concerning the role of burnout as an antecedent to pain and the role of ethnicity.