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Silent pain sufferers.

Emmeline Watkins1, Peter C Wollan, L Joseph Melton

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, AstraZeneca, Wilmington, Deleware, USA.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings
|February 14, 2006
PubMed
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Over 20% of individuals with chronic pain do not seek medical treatment, often experiencing moderate to severe pain. These "silent sufferers" have unmet needs for pain management, highlighting a significant gap in care.

Area of Science:

  • Pain Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Chronic pain affects a significant portion of the adult population.
  • Many individuals with chronic pain do not engage with healthcare providers for their condition.
  • Understanding the characteristics of those who do not seek treatment is crucial for improving pain care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of chronic pain patients who do not seek treatment.
  • To characterize these "silent sufferers" and identify their unmet pain care needs.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Olmsted County, Minnesota.
  • A random, population-based sample of adult residents with recent healthcare visits was surveyed.
  • Data on pain, treatment seeking, and healthcare utilization were collected.

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Main Results:

  • 60.6% of eligible residents responded to the survey.
  • 22.4% of respondents with chronic pain (497 individuals) had not informed their physician.
  • These "silent sufferers" frequently experienced moderate to severe pain, impacting daily activities and sleep, and had fewer physician visits than those who sought care.

Conclusions:

  • More than one in five individuals with chronic pain do not seek physician care.
  • This untreated group represents an unknown patient population with significant unmet needs.
  • Targeted interventions are required to identify and support individuals with untreated chronic pain.