The Effect of Pain Coping Training on Quality of Life-Related Outcomes Among Individuals With Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To systematically evaluate the effects of Pain Coping Skills Training (PCST), both as an isolated intervention and in combination with other therapeutic approaches, on the quality of life in individuals with osteoarthritis (OA). A systematic and meta-analyses were performed using review manager (RevMan) version 5.4. Search was conducted using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Web of Science (WoS) databases. Selected articles comprised randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) which evaluated PCST alone or in combination with other treatments measuring quality of life (QoL) as a primary or secondary outcome. Only articles which had study populations with a mean age ≥50 years, with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) were included. Data were extracted, minimal detectable change (MDC) and effect sizes were calculated, meta-analysis was performed using random effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed with the I 2 statistic. Of the 12,284 titles identified initially; only seven full text articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected. Selected articles varied in type of intervention and methodological quality. The average quality assessment score was 13, implying good overall quality. Significant improvements in pain and QoL in favor of PCST were reported by all included studies. PCST improves QoL-related outcomes in individuals with OA, particularly when combined with complementary therapies. However, inconsistent findings across heterogeneous studies highlight the need for larger, standardized trials to confirm its effectiveness and long-term impact.