Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32537146›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of pain2020

'ReConnect': a model for working with persistent pain patients on improving sexual relationships.

Sarah Edwards, Anna Mandeville, Katrine Petersen, Julia Cambitzi, Amanda C de C Williams, Katherine Herron

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of pain, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.2field-weighted citation impact, top 43% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Biopsychosocial Approaches for the Management of Female Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Systematic Review.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2025
    Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sarah EdwardsPain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street, London, UK.
Anna MandevillePain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street, London, UK.
Katrine PetersenPain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street, London, UK.
Julia CambitziPain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street, London, UK.
Amanda C de C WilliamsPain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street, London, UK.
Katherine HerronPain Management Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Cleveland Street, London, UK.
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery · GBUniversity College London · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMany individuals with persistent pain experience difficulties with sexual function which are exacerbated by avoidance and anxiety. Due to embarrassment or shame, sexual activity may not be identified as a goal for pain management programmes (PMPs). In addition, clinicians can feel that they lack skills and confidence in addressing these issues.

methodsWe sought to develop a biopsychosocial model for helping patients return to sexual activity and manage relationships in the context of pain management, known as 'ReConnect'. The model amalgamates well-established methods from pain management and sex therapy to guide multidisciplinary team members. ReConnect comprises three components: (1) 'cognitive and myth-busting', (2) 'sensations and feelings' and (3) 'action-experimentation'. We collected self-report data from 281 women and 92 men from our specialist PMP for chronic abdomino-pelvic. pain, including questions measuring interference with and avoidance of sex due to pain, and the Multi-dimensional Sexuality Questionnaire (MSQ) to measure anxiety about sexual activity.

resultsThe results show statistically significant improvements for anxiety, avoidance of sex and sexual interference. Using the ReConnect model to structure clinical work, pain management clinicians reported increased confidence in addressing sexual activity goals.

conclusionBy using the ReConnect model is a framework for clinicians to use to support sexual activity goals. It has demonstrated improvements in clinical outcomes such as anxiety around sex and interference of pain in sexual activity. We encourage its application in pain management services in both one-to-one and group sessions, as a method for encouraging pain patients to address this important area of life which can be adversely affected by pain.

Indexed as

pain managementpelvic painself-managementSexual activitysexual relationship

Identifiers

PMID32537146
PMCPMC7265594
OpenAlexW2952825238

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.