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Table 3 Responses for the Neurophysiology of Pain (NPQ) questionnaire items (matched data only)

From: Changes in pain knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of osteopathy students after completing a clinically focused pain education module

 

Pre-intervention

Post-intervention

NPQ item

Correct responses

Undecided responses

Correct responses

Undecided responses

1. Receptors on nerves work by opening ion channels in the wall of the nerve.

44 (80%)

10 (18.2%)

48 (88.9%)

3 (5.5%)

2. When part of your body is injured, special pain receptors convey the pain message to your brain.

1 (1.8%)

0 (0%)

3 (5.5%)

0 (0%)

3. Pain only occurs when you are injured or at risk of being injured.

37 (67.3%)

5 (9.1%)

40 (72.7%)

1 (1.8%)

4. Special nerves in your spinal cord convey “danger” messages to your brain.

42 (76.4%)

9 (16.4%)

46 (83.6%)

2 (3.6%)

5. Pain is not possible when there are no nerve messages coming from the painful body part.

26 (47.3%)

8 (14.5%)

36 (65.5%)

3 (5.5%)

6. Pain occurs whenever you are injured.

35 (63.6%)

7 (12.7%)

41 (74.5%)

3 (5.5%)

7. The brain sends messages down your spinal cord that can change the message going up your spinal cord.^

29 (52.7%)

14 (25.5%)

44 (80.0%)

5 (9.1%)

8. The brain decides when you will experience pain.*

34 (61.8%)

9 (16.4%)

48 (87.3%)

3 (5.5%)

9. Nerves adapt by increasing their resting level of excitement.

42 (76.4%)

9 (16.4%)

49 (89.1%)

4 (7.3%)

10. Chronic pain means that an injury hasn’t healed properly.

28 (50.9%)

7 (12.7%)

38 (69.1%)

4 (7.3%)

11. The body tells the brain when it is in pain.^

11 (20.0%)

7 (12.7%)

31 (56.4%)

4 (7.3%)

12. Nerves can adapt by producing more receptors.^

31 (56.4%)

14 (25.5%)

47 (85.5%)

14 (25.5%)

13. Worse injuries always result in worse pain.

39 (70.9%)

7 (12.7%)

46 (83.6%)

2 (3.6%)

14. Nerves adapt by making ion channels stay open longer.^

21 (38.2%)

31 (56.4%)

41 (74.5%)

8 (14.5%)

15. Descending neurons are always inhibitory.^

16 (29.1%)

38 (69.1%)

44 (80.0%)

8 (14.5%)

16. When you injure yourself, the environment that you are in will not affect the amount of pain you experience, as long as the injury is exactly the same.

44 (80.0%)

6 (10.9%)

51 (92.7%)

2 (3.6%)

17. It is possible to have pain and not know about it.

15 (27.3%)

5 (9.1%)

16 (29.1%)

4 (7.3%)

18. When you are injured, special receptors convey the danger message to your spinal cord.

40 (72.7%)

8 (14.5%)

44 (80.0%)

3 (5.5%)

19. All other things being equal, an identical finger injury will probably hurt the left little finger more than the right little finger in a violinist but not a piano player.

11 (20.0%)

26 (47.3%)

7 (20.0%)

15 (27.3%)

Total score (median & range)

10 (4–16)

 

14 (7–19)

 
  1. ^p < 0.001, *p < 0.01