Adriaan Louw,Angela  Schmieder,Elizabeth  Peppin,Kevin  Farrell,Kory  Zimney,Nicholas  Maiers,
Can a Pain Neuroscience Education Lecture Alter Treatment Choices for Chronic Pain in Physician Assistant Students?
Psychological Disorders and Research
2020
2674-2470
http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.PDR.2020.02.03
https://www.sciencerepository.org/can-a-pain-neuroscience-education-lecture-alter-treatment-choices-for_PDR-2020-2-103 
Abstract: Purpose: Pilot study assessing if pain neuroscience education (PNE) can shift treatment choices for patients
with chronic pain in Physician Assistants (PA) students.
Methods: A convenience sample of PA students (n = 29) attended a 2-hour PNE lecture. Prior to and
immediately after the lecture, students completed a questionnaire regarding their beliefs and choices
regarding treatments and professionals best suited for patients suffering from chronic pain.
Results: Following the PNE lecture, there was a significant shift of decreasing the choice of medical
interventions/pharmaceutical use and increasing alternative pain strategy interventions (p = 0.046). Further,
non-pharmaceutical treatments shifted towards cognitive and active movement approaches (mindfulness,
relaxation, physical therapy, psychology and cognitive behavioural medicine), away from passive
treatments (massage therapy and chiropractic). After PNE, PA students were less likely to recommend an
orthopedic surgeon to treat chronic pain (p = 0.015).
Conclusion: A PNE lecture to PA students is able to decrease pharmaceuticals as first choice in treatment
of chronic pain and towards more active, non-pharmaceutical cognitive targeted treatmentsKeywords: Pain, neuroscience, education, physician assistant, chronic