Students' knowledge of pain: a survey of four schools

✍ Scribed by Deborah L. Rochman

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 84 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0966-7903
• DOI: 10.1002/oti.72

✦ Synopsis

The purpose of this study was to explore occupational therapy students' understanding of pain. During the 1996-7 academic year, 201 senior entry-level professional students at four universities in the northeastern United States completed a survey testing 10 common myths about assessment of persons with pain. Participants answered true or false to the 10 statements. The mean score was 61% and the number of correct answers ranged from 0% to 100%. Students scored highest in knowing that all pain is 'real' (88% correct) and that the patient is the best authority on pain sensation (87% correct). Students made most errors in believing that visible signs validate the existence of pain (42% correct) and that malingering is common (46% correct). This study supports the need for organized efforts to improve pain knowledge among entry-level occupational therapy students.