Self-management and coping in young adults with chronic pain: A reflexive thematic analysis.

Young adults face specific challenges, potentially impacting engagement with chronic pain self-management and coping. This project aims to explore the experiences of young adults with chronic pain to determine facilitators and barriers to self-management, identify coping strategies and understand how they map onto the COM-B model. A qualitative study was conducted with 14 adults aged 19-30 (10 females, 4 males) experiencing chronic pain in the UK. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis was used and three themes were developed: 1) Pivotal role of self-advocacy and diagnosis; 2) Understanding of chronic pain is essential for self-management; 3) Coping through compassion. This study provided insights regarding self-management and coping strategies and several practical implications are provided for healthcare and employment settings. Healthcare professionals should provide young adults with information regarding their chronic pain. Support from employers must also be improved to aid self-management.