Central pain due to stroke: cognitive representation and coping according to gender

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify and compare perceptions of pain and how it is faced between men and women with central post-stroke pain. METHODS: The participants were 25 men and 25 women of minimum age 30 years-old and minimum schooling level of four years, presenting central post-stroke pain for at least three months. The instruments used were: Mini-Mental State Examination; structured interview for the Brief Psychiatric Scale; Survey of Sociodemographic and Clinical Data; Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); Ways of Coping with Problems Scale (WCPS) in Scale; Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R); and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). RESULTS: A significantly greater number of women used the coping strategy "Turn to spiritual and religious activities" in WCPS. They associated their emotional state with the cause of pain in IPQ-R. "Distraction of attention" was the strategy most used by the subjects. CONCLUSION: Women used spiritual and religious activities more as a coping strategy and perceived their emotional state as the cause of pain.

Examination of the Hierarchical Structure of the Brief COPE in a French Sample: Empirical and Theoretical Convergences

“…Contrary to previous studies [32][33][34], age was not related to the strategies used by the individuals. Consistent with the literature [35][36][37][38][39], women more often used 'social support' , including spirituality and religion, and emotional-focused strategies, including 'avoidance' and 'positive thinking' , than men. Previous studies showed that the educational level and professional status might be associated with some specific coping strategies [40][41][42].…”

Life satisfaction post stroke: The role of illness cognitions

“…Acceptance of the illness and appraisals of threat and benefit were associated with depression post stroke [17,18]. Furthermore, female stroke patients associated their emotional state with the cause of pain [19], and maladaptive illness cognitions were associated with more severe symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder [20]. However, associations between illness cognitions and life satisfaction, and changes in illness cognitions over time have to our knowledge never been investigated in the stroke population.…”

“…Limited research has been performed into illness cognitions of stroke patients [17][18][19][20]. Acceptance of the illness and appraisals of threat and benefit were associated with depression post stroke [17,18].…”

A Comprehensive Review of Central Post-Stroke Pain

“…According to previous reports (Nogueira & Teixeira, 2012;Widar et al, 2004), patients have managed pain using various coping strategies, which include communication, distraction, making the pain comprehensible, planning activities, changing body position, taking medication, and by comparing before and after stroke or by comparing themselves to others who have suffered a stroke. Therefore, nurses should teach patients various behavioral therapies, such as relaxation therapy, visualization therapy, or meditation, and encourage patients to practice such techniques to maximize therapeutic effects.…”