<\/p>
Methods:<\/strong><\/p>\n We conducted a cross-sectional study of sixty-one psychiatric outpatients with a refugee background using structured clinical diagnostic interviews to assess for traumatic events [Life Events Checklist (LEC)], PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) and complex PTSD [Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV PTSD Module (SCID-PTSD) and Structured Interview for Disorders of Extreme Stress (SIDES)], chronic pain (SIDES Scale VI) and psychiatric symptoms [M.I.N.I. International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.)]. <\/p>\n Self-report measures were used to assess symptoms of posttraumatic stress [Impact of Event Scale-revised (IES-R)], depression and anxiety [Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25)] and several markers of acculturation in Norway.<\/p>\n Results:<\/strong><\/p>\n Of the 61 outpatients included, all but one reported at least one chronic pain location, with a mean of 4.6 locations per patient. Chronic pain at clinical levels was present in 66% of the whole sample of outpatients, and in 88% of the outpatients with current PTSD diagnosis. <\/p>\n The most prevalent chronic pain locations were head (80%), chest (74%), arms\/legs (66%) and back (62%). Women had significantly more chronic pain locations than men. Comorbid PTSD and chronic pain were found in 57% of the outpatients. Significant differences were found between outpatients with and without chronic pain on posttraumatic stress, psychological distress, and DESNOS severity.<\/p>\n Conclusions:<\/strong><\/p>\n Chronic pains are common in multi-traumatized refugees in outpatient clinics in Norway, and are positively related to symptomatology and severity of psychiatric morbidity. <\/p>\n The presence of chronic pain, as well as comorbid chronic pain and PTSD, in psychiatric outpatients with a refugee background call for an integrated assessment and treatment for both conditions.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"file":0,"project":[]},"publication_tag":[],"topic_tax":[6],"class_list":["post-5832","academic-article","type-academic-article","status-publish","hentry","topic_tax-forced-migration-and-refugee-health"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkvts.dev08.dekodes.no\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/academic-article\/5832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkvts.dev08.dekodes.no\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/academic-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkvts.dev08.dekodes.no\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/academic-article"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nkvts.dev08.dekodes.no\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"publication_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nkvts.dev08.dekodes.no\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication_tag?post=5832"},{"taxonomy":"topic_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nkvts.dev08.dekodes.no\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic_tax?post=5832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}