Emerging Lifestyle of Pain In America, New Survey Reveals

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Emerging Lifestyle of Pain In America, New Survey Reveals

09 May 2005 Medical News Today

Seventy-two percent of people with chronic pain have lived with it

for more than three years, including a third (34 percent) who have

lived with pain for more than a decade, according to results from the

Americans Living with Pain Survey (ALPS), designed to uncover

insights regarding attitudes and perceptions about chronic pain. Yet

nearly half (44 percent) of people with pain who have talked to their

doctor about it delay doing so, often for several months or longer,

despite the impact it has on their lives. A little more than half (53

percent) of those who do eventually visit their doctor do so because

their pain is becoming increasingly severe.

" This survey demonstrates that chronic pain is a problem that has

reached near epidemic proportions, " said Covington, M.D.,

Director of the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Cleveland

Clinic. " The `can do, can cope' spirit of Americans can lead to

untreated chronic pain, which has a severe impact on people's work,

personal relationships, hobbies, and even sex, and can greatly

diminish their quality of life. In addition to physical disability,

it may also lead to irritability, anxiety, or depression. "

Many Americans who delay seeing a doctor about their pain believe

that their pain will eventually go away, or that pain alone is not a

serious health condition. Others delay seeking treatment because they

think they can live with the pain even though it is increasingly

taking a toll on their quality of life and emotional well-being. ALPS

reveals that two out of three people living with chronic pain say

that it leads to stress and irritable behavior. A large number of

respondents also report that pain has a negative impact on their

personal relationships (45 percent), work productivity (51 percent of

those employed) and daily routine (61 percent).

" One of the most important aspects of managing one's pain is taking

an active role in care and becoming part of the treatment team, " says

Penney Cowan, executive director, American Chronic Pain

Association. " There are many treatment options available to help

people reduce the effects of pain in their lives. Proactive behavior

such as recognizing emotions and practicing relaxation techniques to

reduce stress, pacing activities and working within personal limits,

and exercising on a regular basis may contribute to better pain

control. "

Who's Hurting?

According to the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare

Organizations (JCAHO), nearly a third of Americans will experience

chronic pain at some point in their lives. And approximately 50

million Americans live with chronic pain today; it is the number one

cause of adult disability in the United States. ALPS reveals that

people are experiencing pain at a younger age than what may be

commonly perceived or assumed; proportionally just as many younger

people surveyed experience back pain as do middle aged and older

adults.

.... Younger People (18-34): 82 percent of younger people also

experience grumpiness or irritable behavior as a result of their

chronic pain

... Women: Women are more likely to be affected emotionally by their

pain than men, especially in terms of stress (70 percent) and loss of

motivation (55 percent)

... Men: Nearly three in 10 men (28 percent) experience less desire

for sex due to chronic pain Pain in the Workplace Pain costs the

United States an estimated $100 billion in lost productivity every

year, according to a JCAHO report. The survey demonstrates that

chronic pain is a major cause of absenteeism.

... ALPS shows that 41 percent of those employed and living with

chronic pain report their pain adversely affects their ability to put

in a full day's work; three in 10 (27 percent) say it impacts their

ability to get to work in the first place.

... One in six employed people living with chronic pain say it has

adversely affected their career advancement opportunities. How is

Pain Being Treated? Once people address their condition, ALPS reveals

that treatment of chronic pain varies, with nearly half of people

taking prescription medication and about half not taking prescription

medication.

... For those taking only prescription medication, 81 percent report

being very satisfied with how their doctor is helping them manage

their pain, as opposed to 64 percent of those who are taking only

over-the-counter medication.

... 86 percent of those taking only prescription medication also use

alternative treatments, including physical therapy (58 percent),

massage (39 percent) and meditation (23 percent). Many Fear Losing

Access to Pain Medicine With increasing attention being paid to cost

and legislative issues, people with pain express concerns about

access.

... Three in ten have been unable to get a prescription filled because

of cost or lack of insurance.

... Almost three in 10 believe that it will become more difficult to

get the medication they need in the future. Satisfaction and Concerns

about Medication Vary Attitudes toward medication show as much

variation as the types of people experiencing pain. Significant

numbers of people with pain report concerns about taking pain

medications including fear of side effects (56 percent) and worries

that they will need medication for the rest of their lives (49

percent) while showing surprisingly little awareness (26 percent) of

prescription topical pain patches as an alternative. .. Concern about

potential side effects among those taking only prescription

medication is generally higher among 35 to 50 year-olds, with 58

percent worried that it might be addictive.

... Compared to those taking prescription pain medicines, users of

both prescription and over the counter medications were more likely

to experience side effects (drowsiness: 52 percent, nausea: 41

percent). About the Survey The Americans Living with Pain Survey

(ALPS) was conducted by Roper Public Affairs and Media, on behalf of

the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) with support from Endo

Pharmaceuticals.

The survey findings are based on 800 telephone interviews conducted

with adults experiencing chronic pain in the United States. The

sampling frame for this survey was a national random digit dialing

system that included all telephone households in the United States,

both listed and unlisted. The sample for this survey was drawn from

this frame using probability selection procedures; as such, the

survey findings are projectable to all adults with chronic pain.

Roper Public Affairs and Media is part of NOP World, the ninth

largest survey research company in the world. As a part of NOP, World

Roper shares complete in-house facilities for statistics, sampling,

interviewing, data processing and statistical analysis, and

production. This provides total control over the research process

from beginning to end.

About the American Chronic Pain Association

The American Chronic Pain Association has offered support and

information for people with chronic pain since 1980. Its mission is

to facilitate peer support and education for individuals with chronic

pain and their families so that these individuals may live more fully

in spite of their pain and to raise awareness among the health care

community, policy makers, and the public at large about issues of

living with chronic pain.

ACPA support groups meet in the United States, Canada, the United

Kingdom, and in many other nations around the world. In addition, the

ACPA provides a wealth of materials, including self-help manuals,

videos, workbooks, and other resources that can help people with pain

and their families. These materials, created by people with pain for

people with pain, offer unique insight into the reality of chronic

pain and its management and hope for improving quality of life for

those who live with pain daily. In 2002, the ACPA organized Partners

for Understanding Pain, a consortium of more than 70 groups with an

interest in the social, individual, and economic impact of pain in

our communities.

The goal of Partners for Understanding Pain is to raise awareness

about chronic, acute, and cancer pain through grassroots community

outreach and a national media relations campaign. Learn more about

the American Chronic Pain Association and Partners for Understanding

Pain at www.theacpa.org. About Endo Pharmaceuticals A wholly owned

subsidiary of Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ENDP), Endo

Pharmaceuticals is a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical

company with market leadership in pain management products. The

company researches, develops, produces and markets a broad product

offering of branded and generic pharmaceuticals, meeting the needs of

healthcare professionals and consumers alike.

More information, including this and past press releases of Endo

Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc., is available online at

http://www.endo.com.

The American Chronic Pain Association