Patient satisfaction in the use of non-pharmacological therapies in the management of postoperative pain: a study in a tertiary hospital, Ghana

ABSTRACT Background: Non-pharmacological therapies are complementary to pharmacological therapies for managing disease symptoms, including pain, and can be integrated into a self-management program, enhancing patient independence and autonomy. It has been discovered that therapies that are non-pharmacological for pain relief are effective with minimal side effects. This study, therefore, seeks to determine how frequently non-pharmacological methods (NPMs) are used in the management of postoperative pain (POP) and the influence of these NPMs on patient satisfaction. Methods: This study had a descriptive cross-sectional design. A quantitative approach was used with a structured questionnaire based on the International Pain Outcome Questionnaire (IPO-Q) to obtain responses from patients from October 2019 to December 2019. Results: The majority of the patients, 52.2%, responded using some form of (NPM) for pain relief. The most widely used non-pharmacological method of pain relief was mobilization, representing 79.2%. The male participants were observed to use more NPMs for pain relief. Most patients (51.4%) who used NPMs for pain relief reported that their pain was not relieved. A majority (90.6%) of the participants desired more pain treatment. The type of surgery the patients underwent had a statistically significant negative correlation with using NPMs for pain relief. A higher percentage (71%) of participants were highly satisfied with their overall pain treatment. Conclusion: Pain is subjective, and it would be appropriate if patients were allowed to describe the location and intensity of their pain and choose their preferred NPMs which would be of help.