Teaching of chronic pain management in a low- and middle-income setting: a needs assessment survey

INTRODUCTION: Pain is the most common reason for patients to see their physicians. For this reason, every physician should be able to diagnose and manage pain correctly. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this survey was to identify gaps in the teaching on chronic pain and its management in the current training programs at the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences (UZCHS). METHODS: A focused needs assessment using a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from participants was performed. A copy of the English Version of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) curriculum on Pain for Medicine was attached for participants to refer to. Faculty and final-year postgraduate students were eligible. Questions were on the current teaching practice on chronic pain at the UZCHS. RESULTS: Faculty members and postgraduates from 15 of 19 departments in the college participated in the study. Only 2 departments have written chronic pain teaching curriculum. Most faculty members, 68% had no knowledge of the IASP curriculum or its existence. Seventy-seven percent of the respondents were strongly dissatisfied with the current pain-related content, teaching or learning strategies in their programs. Most respondents suggested the need for the adoption of an interprofessional education learning strategy and adopting the IASP curriculum. CONCLUSION: The current teaching practice on chronic pain at the UZCHS is inadequate to prepare the health care professionals to independently care for chronic pain patients.