Comparison of short- and mid-term outcomes of Italian- and German-speaking patients after an interdisciplinary pain management programme in Switzerland: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify and compare the course of health-related quality of life of immigrant native Italian-speaking and German-speaking patients before and after an interdisciplinary pain programme.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study with 1-12 month follow-up.

SUBJECTS: Fibromyalgia, generalized widespread pain, and chronic non-specific back pain patients (Italian-speaking n = 96, German-speaking n = 199).

METHODS

Score changes measured with the Short Form 36 (SF-36) were compared with multivariate analysis using standardized mean differences (SMD), adjusted for sex, education and the baseline score.

RESULTS

At baseline, health of the Italian-speaking patients was worse than for the German-speaking patients. Adjusted SMDs showed significantly better improvements in the German group compared with the Italian group: SF-36 Physical functioning SMD = 0.54 (at discharge) and 0.49 (at 12 months), General health SMD = 0.71 and 0.44, Vitality SMD = 0.43 and 0.48 in one sample. In the other sample, the corresponding SMDs were 0.06 (discharge), 0.50 (3 months) and 0.47 (6 months) for Bodily pain.

CONCLUSION

State of health was better and health improvements were greater in German-speaking patients compared with Italian-speaking patients. Patients with a migration background may have special needs in therapeutic management, and addressing these might enhance the positive outcome in the short- and mid-term.