Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs About Musculoskeletal Pain Among Primary Care Health Professionals in Spain.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs About Musculoskeletal Pain Among Primary Care Health Professionals in Different Autonomous Communities of Spain: A Cross-Sectional Study

Pain is influenced by psychological and emotional factors, and healthcare professionals may unintentionally contribute to chronic disability by reinforcing fear and limiting normal activity. Patients with chronic pain often feel they lack adequate information to manage their condition.

This study aims to:

• Assess primary care professionals' knowledge of pain neurophysiology in Spain.
• Evaluate their attitudes and beliefs about chronic low back pain.
• Examine their fear-avoidance beliefs related to pain. A cross-sectional study will gather data from primary care providers. The results will help guide educational strategies and policies to improve musculoskeletal pain management. This will be the first study in Spain to analyze these aspects among primary care professionals.

Background: Pain is a multifactorial experience where psychological and emotional factors influence the transition from acute to chronic pain, prognosis, and the adoption of inappropriate self-management strategies. In addition to psychological and emotional factors, healthcare professionals can contribute to the development of chronic disabilities in their patients by promoting hypervigilance and restricting normal activities, potentially reinforcing or altering patients' perceptions, leading to limited mobility. Existing scientific literature suggests that patients with chronic pain often feel they do not receive sufficient information from healthcare professionals that could help them better understand and manage pain, thereby improving their quality of life.

Objectives:

1. To assess the current knowledge of pain neurophysiology among primary care professionals (medicine, physiotherapy, nursing, nutrition, and psychology) in Spain.
2. To evaluate attitudes and beliefs about chronic low back pain among primary care professionals (medicine, physiotherapy, nursing, nutrition, and psychology) in Spain.
3. To examine fear-avoidance beliefs related to pain among primary care professionals (medicine, physiotherapy, nursing, nutrition, and psychology) in Spain.

Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study will be conducted to collect information from primary care health professionals (medicine, physiotherapy, psychology, nutrition, and nursing) in Spain, focusing on their current knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about musculoskeletal pain.

Applicability: This study will provide valuable insights into the current state of knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about musculoskeletal pain among primary care health professionals in Spain. The findings will guide future educational interventions and policy recommendations to improve the management of musculoskeletal pain in primary care settings in Spain.

Relevance: Scientifically, this will be the first study to evaluate the knowledge of primary care health professionals in Spain regarding pain neurophysiology, attitudes and beliefs about chronic low back pain, and fear-avoidance attitudes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Graduates in medicine or residents specializing in family and community medicine.

Graduates in physiotherapy. Graduates in nursing or residents specializing in family and community nursing. Graduates in psychology. Graduates in nutrition.

Exclusion Criteria:

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