Family-based Interventions Benefit Individuals With Musculoskeletal Pain in the Short-term but not in the Long-Term: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Issue 2 (February 2021) - Fritsch, Carolina G.
Abstract : Introduction: The benefits of family-based interventions for patients with musculoskeletal pain have been previously shown in individual randomized controlled trials (RCTs), but no systematic review has summarized their effects. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was conducted to assess the effectiveness of family-based interventions on clinical and biopsychosocial outcomes in people with musculoskeletal pain (PROSPERO CRD42018118442). Meta-analyses were performed for the outcomes of pain intensity, disability, mood, self-efficacy, and marital adjustment. Results: Of 1223 records identified, 18 reports representing 15 RCTs were included in the qualitative review and 10 in the meta-analyses. Family-based interventions were more effective to reduce pain (mean difference [MD], −3.55/100; 95% confidence intreval [CI], −4.03 to −3.06) and disability (MD, −1.51/100; 95% CI, −1.98 to −1.05) than individual-focused interventions at short-term, but not at mid term or long term. There were no effects on other outcomes. Family-based interventions were more effective to reduce pain (MD, −6.05/100; 95% CI, −6.78 to −5.33) compared with usual care only at short-term. No effects were found on disability and other outcomes. Discussion: There is moderate-quality evidence that family-based interventions result in small, significantly better pain and disability outcomes in the short-term compared with individual-focused interventions in patients with musculoskeletal pain. Based on low-quality evidence, family-based interventions result in small improvements on pain in the short-term compared with usual care. Future studies should review the content and optimize the mechanisms underpinning family-based interventions in musculoskeletal pain so that the approach could be further tested in adequately powered RCTs. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.