Pain science knowledge among healthcare Professionals: A cross-sectional survey within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Damian Keter, Kristin Eneberg-Boldon, Wesley Kurszewski and 4 others
PMID 41033196WHAT IT FOUND
Veterans Affairs clinicians generally reported high confidence in pain care, but actual knowledge varied significantly by profession and age.
Physical therapists scored highest on pain science tests, while nurse practitioners scored lowest. Older clinicians and those in primary care roles showed lower knowledge scores.
Key findings
01Physical therapists had the highest mean scores on the pain knowledge test, while nurse practitioners had the lowest.
02Clinicians aged 31-40 scored significantly higher on pain knowledge tests than those aged over 60.
03Despite low test scores, nurse practitioners and other groups did not report corresponding low confidence in their ability to manage pain.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The response rate was very low at 2%, raising the possibility of selection bias where only those interested in pain care responded. The study was limited to a single healthcare system (VHA), so results may not generalize to private practice or other healthcare settings. Knowledge was measured via a self-report survey and a standardized questionnaire, not through observed clinical practice or patient outcomes.
Declared interests
Two authors receive compensation for contract-based education on pain science topics for Evidence in Motion. The remaining authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that clinicians who report high confidence in their pain management skills actually possess high knowledge. The survey found that nurse practitioners had the lowest knowledge scores but did not report low confidence, indicating a disconnect between self-perception and objective competence.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →