Access to primary care for people with chronic pain: a lived/living experience-informed mixed-methods study protocol

BMJ Open. 2026 Mar 23;16(3):e114977. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-114977.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: People with chronic pain are a high health service using population, representing a significant proportion of primary care visits, but their health service use and needs have been largely understudied. This mixed-methods study investigates experiences of accessing primary care services for people with chronic pain in British Columbia (BC), Canada.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This research programme includes a retrospective cohort study using administrative data, semistructured interviews with people with chronic pain, and triangulation of data. The aim is to support a more robust understanding of how people with chronic pain access primary care services and how this impacts other health services use. These studies emphasise the importance of lived/living experience of chronic pain through the inclusion of individuals with lived experience on the research team and study council, qualitative interviews with people with chronic pain and application of a critical disability theory lens.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: We have obtained ethics approvals from the Simon Fraser University research ethics board. Population Data BC has granted access to de-identified administrative data. Study findings will be disseminated through academic outputs and through knowledge mobilisation with relevant community partners.

PMID:41877341 | DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-114977