Health care services have become increasingly concerned for asylum seekers suffering physical pain, which medical examinations cannot explain. This is the case of a growing number of traumatized asylum seekers holding temporary visas, who experience debilitating, long-term pain. With increasing presentation of pain, it is imperative to investigate a possible link with past trauma, as it often remains underdiagnosed, hindering recovery. Furthermore, there is a need to examine the efficacy of interaction with general practitioners as first-point of contact. Acknowledging trauma by GPs can promote safety, trust in health professionals and compassionate care. For this study, participants were 21 female asylum seekers, all ethnic Tamil women from Sri Lanka and Indonesia, aged between 31 and 39 years. Quantitative measures were used to obtain pain history: McGill Pain Questionnaire; Universal Pain Assessment, Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale, and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Results showed a link between somatic pain and PTSD, exacerbated by ongoing trauma such as visa insecurity. Semi-structured interviews revealed participants felt GPs, although caring, did not have sufficient time to explore trauma and listen to their trauma stories. Findings show that trauma exploration with asylum seekers presenting with pain can help better identify symptoms, providing comprehensive and empathic care. Addressing this link is important for devising effective referrals and developing appropriate and beneficial treatment programmes for improving overall health outcomes.
Keywords: Asylum seekers, temporary visa, Pain, Trauma, GP Assessment
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