Perception and practice of primary health care professionals regarding chronic pain: a qualitative study

AIMS: To explore Primary Health Care (PHC) professionals' perception and practices regarding chronic pain. METHODS: This is a qualitative study involving 60 PHC professionals who responded to an interview based on a semi-structured script. All questions were prepared by the research team itself. The responses obtained were recorded in audio format and later transcribed and analyzed using the IRAMUTEQ software, using descending hierarchical classification to analyze the results. RESULTS: According to the perception of the PHC professionals, five classes were categorized: Class 1 - Aspects of healthcare network and care coordination; Class 2 - Primary care and the user's subjective perspective; Class 3 - Scientific considerations and professionals' experiences; Class 4 - Strategies for managing chronic pain; and Class 5 - Approach to pain relief and assessment. It was evident that PHC professionals adopt different strategies in managing chronic pain, guided by the user's subjectivity, service conditions, and professional beliefs, with no standardized institutional protocols. CONCLUSION: The participants' reports revealed diverse practices and perceptions regarding chronic pain management, with the influence of beliefs and attitudes shaping the approaches adopted, contributing to the reflection on planning and qualification of care in this context.