Videos
Learning from Colin: back pain stories to help shape communications strategies
Note: this material is not an extract from a commissioned project, it was developed just as a case study.
Background: 2 years ago Colin suffered a compression injury to his spine which prolapsed one of his discs. He was eventually operated on and is still living in considerable pain.
Medications: Pregabalin 300mg per day (pain killer) Amitriptyline 75mg at night (medication to repair and manage nerve pain) Paracetamol 2-4 pills a day to top up (500mg each pill)
What we learned: Below are three frames from one of the films.
Figure 1: Tiredness and Intimacy.Tiredness and Intimacy
Tiredness due to back pain affected the mood not only of back pain sufferers but of all the family. The recordings demonstrated how the condition created conflict within the family and rifts between couples. For example couples did not sleep with one another as they were distressed by the amount of times they were woken up in the middle of the night.
Artefacts in the Home
Ethnographers identified artefacts around the home that were described as “projects” designed to keep them from “losing their mind”. These included repairing clocks, building small pieces of furniture and other diversions. Despite these ‘outlets’ considerable frustration was apparent relating to their inability to participate fully in family life and other normal everyday activities.
Figure 2: Identity and emasculation.Identity and emasculation
The subject of emasculation within the context of chronic back pain is especially relevant for sufferers as back pain was no longer allowing them to conduct activities which defined them as ‘the man about the house’ i.e. DIY, gardening etc.
Pastimes and hobbies that had formed part of their interests and their identity were unable to be carried out. Back pain had effectively eroded their identity of their former selves.
Figure 3: Complexity of back pain.Complexity of back pain
Participants were observed carrying out activities they ‘supposedly’ should not have been able to manage. For instance fishing (which involved bending, lying down, and quick movements). Hours later individuals would be sitting on the floor of the living rooms or on their sofas watching TV unable to participate in basic household chores that required similar abilities i.e. unloading dishwashers, washing machines, replacing pet food etc.
The impact for the sufferer was a feeling of isolation and a reaction of defensiveness, causing reluctance to reach out for treatment and support.
Within the pharmaceutical industry ethnographic research supports:
- Message development
- Identifying unmet needs and market opportunities
- Consumer centred campaigns
- Clinical trial endpoints
- Educational materials for training and symposiums
- Concordance programmes
- Raising profile area of disease
For more information please contact Nick Leon:
nick@naked-eye-research.co.uk | T: +44 (0)20 7861 3178