An observational study in Chronic Pain, Musculoskeletal Pain and Occupational Pain, sponsored by Mahidol University. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 25 Years to 60 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-21.
Sponsored by Mahidol University · Observational
The purpose of this nationwide cross-sectional survey is to determine the prevalence, multidimensional impacts, and associated factors of chronic occupational pain among anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists in Thailand. Due to the physically demanding nature of anesthesia practice-such as prolonged standing, awkward postures during airway management, and high-stress environments-work-related musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent but often underreported. This study aims to collect self-reported data via an anonymous online questionnaire to assess pain severity, specific anatomical locations, economic burdens (including absenteeism and presenteeism), and the overall impact on the health-related quality of life. Ultimately, the findings from this study will help establish a national evidence-based database to improve workplace safety, inform occupational health policies, and enhance the overall well-being of anesthesia providers in Thailand.
Anesthesia providers, encompassing both anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, are highly susceptible to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and chronic occupational pain. The nature of the profession requires prolonged static postures, repetitive movements, manual patient handling, and high-stress clinical management, all of which contribute to cumulative physical strain. Despite the critical role these professionals play in the healthcare system, comprehensive national data regarding the prevalence, severity, and multidimensional impacts of occupational pain within this specific population in Thailand remains highly limited.
This study is a nationwide, cross-sectional observational survey designed to evaluate the prevalence of chronic occupational pain and identify its associated factors among Thai anesthesia providers. The target population includes active anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists aged 25 to 60 years who have been working in their current roles for at least six months.
The primary objective is to estimate the national prevalence of chronic occupational pain within this professional group. Secondary objectives include:
Assessing the severity, interference, and anatomical distribution of the pain using the validated Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF Thai version).
Evaluating the impact of chronic pain on the health-related quality of life using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) instrument.
Determining the economic burden associated with occupational pain, specifically focusing on healthcare utilization, absenteeism, and presenteeism (reduced work productivity).
Exploring the correlation between workplace exposures (e.g., specific clinical procedures, working hours, ergonomic factors) and the development of chronic pain.
Data collection will be conducted entirely through a structured, anonymous online questionnaire. The survey is designed with logic-branching to minimize respondent burden, ensuring that participants only answer questions relevant to their specific pain status. By gathering high-quality empirical data, this study aims to raise awareness among healthcare administrators, guide the development of targeted ergonomic interventions, and promote sustainable preventive strategies to secure the physical well-being and career longevity of anesthesia personnel.
3,227 studies on the registry are indexed under Chronic Pain; 729 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 1,800 is above the median of 120 across 753 observational studies indexed under Chronic Pain.
Browse Chronic Pain studies →Mahidol University is the lead sponsor of 747 studies on the registry; 119 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
The study population consists of actively practicing anesthesia providers, specifically attending anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents, and nurse anesthetists, who are currently working in healthcare facilities across Thailand.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Active anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, aged 25 to 60 years, who are currently practicing in Thailand and have been in their current roles for at least six months.
Prevalence of Chronic Occupational Pain
The proportion (%) of anesthesia providers experiencing chronic work-related pain, defined as pain lasting for at least 3 months. This is a binary (yes/no) determination collected via a self-reported structured questionnaire assessing the presence and anatomical locations of the pain; no severity scale or scoring system is used for this outcome.
Time frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Pain Severity and Interference
Assessed using the validated Thai version of the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF). It measures pain severity (scored from 0 = no pain to 10 = pain as bad as you can imagine) and the degree to which pain interferes with daily functions (scored from 0 = does not interfere to 10 = completely interferes). Higher scores indicate greater pain severity and interference.
Time frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Health-Related Quality of Life
Evaluated using the Thai version of the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) instrument. It assesses five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression, each rated on a severity scale from 1 (no problems) to 5 (extreme problems). Dimension responses are converted into a single index score using the Thai value set, ranging from a minimum of -0.42 (worse than death) to a maximum of 1.00 (full health). Lower index scores indicate poorer health status, while higher scores indicate better health status.
Time frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Absenteeism Due to Pain
Measured by the self-reported number of work days missed due to pain over a specified recall period.
Time frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
Presenteeism Due to Pain
Measured by the estimated percentage of reduced work effectiveness while experiencing pain at work over a specified recall period.
Time frame: At the time of survey completion (Day 1)
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared publicly to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the participants, in accordance with the Siriraj Institutional Review Board (SIRB) approval. Aggregated data and summaries will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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