Chronic Pain Study

Hi, I'm Petra Brunnbauer and thank you for taking the time to read more about my upcoming study.

In 2020, I broke my foot and was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). I was stuck in a wheelchair for six months and living with chronic pain since then has turned my whole life upside down in ways I could not even have imagined.

This whole experience got me thinking, and for my Master's dissertation this fall, I have decided to put together a study about chronic pain management. It's my goal to start talking about chronic pain and the lack of support most of us experience, especially over the years and decades we suffer.

The study includes a 1-hour interview over Zoom, where I ask a series of questions about your chronic pain journey. All data will be strictly confidential, anonymous, and will be destroyed after the study in line with European privacy regulations.

I am starting my dissertation at the end of August, so we are expecting ethics approval from the University of Wolverhampton by mid-September. At that point, I would contact you again, to go over the details of the study, get your signature on the consent form, and go over anything else you would like to discuss (you can withdraw at any time). No interviews will take place before I receive official ethics approval. At this point, I am just soft-scheduling interview times, so I am a little better prepared because I only have 6 weeks for the interviews.

This is my proposed topic, but please keep in mind that the ethics review board may ask for slight changes.
"How do adults with chronic pain describe their journey towards effective pain management?"

In order to participate, you must be over the age of 18 and speak fluent English. And you must have experienced pain for longer than 3 months or have a diagnosed chronic pain condition.  

If this generally sounds like something you'd be interested in, or if you want to know more, feel free to contact me. Your voice can make a huge difference and shed light on the realities of living with chronic pain. It would be a privilege to have you take part in my study.

Much love xx