Multidisciplinary Pain Programs for Chronic Noncancer Pain, Technical Brief – Final Sept. 30, 2011. HHS, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
“Chronic pain symptoms cause major medical and socioeconomic problems and are the most common cause of long-term disability in middle aged people. The total estimated healthcare costs to Americans are more than $70 billion per year. Pain (of various types) is responsible for a half million lost workdays and costs more than $150 billion annually in health care, disability, and related expenses in the United States. The American Pain Society estimates that 9 percent of the U.S. adult population suffers from moderate to severe, noncancer related chronic pain. However, epidemiological research has suggested that the prevalence of chronic pain varies, depending on how the survey questions are asked and how chronic pain is defined. Researchers have estimated that from 10 to 20 percent of adults report having chronic pain when defined as persistent pain lasting at least 3 months.2 People who are 50 years of age and older are twice as likely to have been diagnosed with chronic pain when compared to people who are younger. Chronic pain management will gain greater public interest as the population ages, and continued research in this field will be an important investment for the future health care of aging Americans.”
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