How are pain management interventions co-designed? A scoping review

Aim Pain is a common public health concern and the primary reason for seeking healthcare. Co-design is a promising approach for developing person-centred pain management interventions. This review aims to explore the characteristics of co-design in pain management interventions and research. Subject and methods This scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Systematic searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus using key concepts related to pain, co-design, and intervention. Descriptive, thematic, and narrative synthesis were used to present the findings. Results Forty-seven peer-reviewed articles ( n = 44; 94%) from high-income and ( n = 3; 6.0%) from low- and middle-income countries were analysed. Thirteen different terminologies were used to describe the collaborative process in the studies. Co-design was commonly conducted among older adults with chronic pain ( n = 34). Self-management strategies ( n = 18), educational interventions ( n = 6), multimodal interventions ( n = 3), and palliative care ( n = 2) were the co-designed interventions developed through co-design studies. The majority ( n = 16) were technology-based interventions. Conclusion The review highlights the significant variability in terminology and how co-design is utilised in pain management studies. Low- and middle-income countries were underrepresented in the included studies. The results of this review underscore the need for a standardised co-design guide for future research, engaging co-design partners more meaningfully, and expanding co-design interventions and research in low- and middle-income countries to address global disparities in pain management.