People In Pain Confused About Pain Relievers And Missing Out On Effective Treatm

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People In Pain Confused About Pain Relievers And Missing Out On

Effective Treatment - Experts Urge Clarity To Reduce The Debilitating

Impact Of Daily

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=46483

Up to 64% of people in pain, including those with musculoskeletal

pain, are confused about which pain medication they should and

shouldn't take, and many do not know how to manage their pain

appropriately, according to the results of a global patient and

physician survey announced today by the Arthritis Action Group (AAG).

(1) The survey builds on previous AAG research, the Arthritis

Research Survey, showing major inadequacies in the management of pain,

(2) and has compelled the group to call for improved communication

with patients so they don't endure pain unnecessarily.

" These are disturbing findings - large numbers of people in pain are

confused about treatment options and risks, and as a result do not

know how to manage their pain properly, " said Professor

Woolf, Chairman of AAG. " Action is needed now to clear this

confusion, and to support patients and physicians to manage pain

effectively to reduce its pervasive impact on daily life. "

The survey of 1204 people with pain, and 604 primary care physicians,

was conducted by Interactive, on behalf of AAG, in six

countries worldwide - United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Mexico

and Australia.

Pain severely impacts quality of life One in five people worldwide

has moderate to severe chronic pain, including 100 million Europeans

with musculoskeletal pain and arthritis.(3,4) People in pain report

that it strongly impacts their life, affecting their ability to sleep

and complete daily tasks.(1) Not only does pain affect quality-of-

life, but previous studies show that it can also predict increased

mortality.(5)

People in pain are confused and under-informed(1)

- Up to 64% of people feel that conflicting information about pain

medications makes it confusing to know what to take

- Up to 78% of people feel they don't know enough about the benefits

and risks of pain medications (either prescription medications, over-

the-counter medications, or both).

Pain is not being managed appropriately(1)

Many people are putting themselves at risk by using treatments

inappropriately:

- If their pain medication doesn't work after 10 days of use, less

than half of people taking prescription medication and less than half

taking non-prescription medication will go to their doctor for advice

or treatment. To get better pain relief, people are using strategies

such as taking more of the same type of medication, taking a

different type of medication, or exercising

- Up to 47% of people in pain don't use medication at all. Reasons

include experience with or concern about side-effects, a perception

they can manage without medication, their doctor advised them to stop

taking medication, or because they're worried following stories in

the news.

Information gap exposed Despite patient confusion, detailed

discussions about different treatment options and their specific

benefits and risks are not taking place in consultation with their

physician. Patients report that during their last consultation:(1)

- Less than half discussed how effective their current medication was

(=43%), or treatment benefits (=40%)

- Less than a third discussed potential problems or medication side-

effects (=30%)

Insufficient information sharing between patients and physicians was

attributed to the following:

- Many physicians underestimate the level of patient concern about

treatment risks. For example, up to 48% of patients are very

concerned about the potential side-effects of non-prescription NSAIDs

(of those who are aware of them), whereas only a small number of

physicians felt their patients were very, or extremely concerned

about this (=14%). Most discussions are about the benefits and risks

of prescription medications.(1,6)

- Up to 92% of physicians think patients don't have the expertise to

evaluate the relative benefits and risks of treatment(6)

- Up to 25% of physicians find it difficult to communicate the

benefits and risks of prescription medications, and up to 24% for non-

prescription pain medications(6)

- Less than half of physicians are very familiar with the recently

updated guidelines for pain medications (=49%)(6)

- Up to 92% of physicians think their elderly patients don't want

responsibility for treatment decisions(6)

- Up to 89% of physicians see consultation time constraints as a

problem.(6)

" These survey results highlight the large gap in understanding

between patients and physicians, " said Canadelo, Vice Chair of

the PARE Manifesto Steering Group, and Chair of the EULAR Social

Leagues. " Chronic pain is hugely debilitating for patients, and

severely impacts quality of life. Informed discussions are needed to

ensure pain is managed effectively, and the best decisions are made

to improve the lives of patients. If you are a patient who is not

happy with your treatment, talk to your physician. "