In 2013 Research! America commissioned Zogby to conduct a poll on issues surrounding chronic pain, drug abuse, addiction and doctor prescribing. It is well-known that the numbers of chronic pain patients exceeds the total of cancer, heart disease and diabetes combined. Of the over one thousand people who took this poll the numbers were reversed and only 18 percent rated chronic pain as a significant health problem, yet the percentages of participants voting for cancer, heart disease and diabetes were 59%. 52% and 52% respectively.
The famous, much missed late comedian and actor, Rodney Dangerfield was famous for not getting any respect, or so he insisted. It would appear he had a lot in common with chronic pain patients-no respect.
On the surface, it seems simple that the real reason is because chronic pain cannot be observed or proven with any ease. Cancer, heart disease and diabetes mellitus are quite easy to diagnose and validate, but not so with chronic pain.
Interestingly, in the Zogby poll it appears that the people who were asked seemed to understand this concept although they were way off mark in guessing the significance of chronic pain. A full 60% of the study participants actually opined that the general public and doctors are dismissive of chronic pain patients, a conclusion often reached by chronic pain patients themselves.
I have been attempting to help chronic pain patients for 25 years and one thing is clear. A person, healthcare professional or not, requires either personal experience or a serious understanding of the way the nervous system works in order to be reliably convinced that the vast majority of pain patients are reporting legitimate suffering. The vernacular is loaded with potentially negatively words such as non-organic pain, pain behavior, supratentorial pain, Waddell’s signs and psychological overlay which are familiar to most pain patients who are well aware that when it is suggested the pain is all in their heads it is not a neurophysiology reference.
The attitudes towards chronic pain would support a rather unscientific approach to pain by most North Americans. This is reinforced by a widespread assault on science in general. Evidence is seen in the anti-vaxxer movement as well as widespread support for homeopathy. A surprising number of Canadians and Americans express the belief that evolution is fiction, man and dinosaurs co-existed and the age of the earth can be calculated using the Old Testament of the Bible’s Genesis.
The UFO literature seem to support the lack of science education hypothesis. Although only 5% of Americans claim to have seen an unexplained flying phenomenon more than 50% feel they are real and more than 60% feel there is a conspiracy to keep the truth from the public. Given this evidence I am not sure whether the public is in any way equipped scientifically to even recognize the truth.
An amazing number of Canadians and Americans actually quite strongly feel a cancer cure exists and has been suppressed by big pharma. In May of 2014, Oliver released results of just such studies. Nearly 1400 Americans were randomly surveyed. 12% believe the CIA started the AIDs epidemic and 37% actually believed that the Federal Drug Administration is suppressing cures for cancer and other diseases and the pressure comes from big pharma.
This kind of widespread ignorance-based opinion that is not only wrong and indicated a lack of a high quality fact-based education but it is likely harming our society and hindering progress with medical and problems.
Chronic pain patients are suffering from this lack of informed education. How can we make progress when there is widespread ignorance of the existence, causes and management of chronic pain? It is difficult to see how chronic pain research and care can move forward in a society that is so swayed by conspiracy theories, religious fundamentalism and strong uneducated opinion.
Despite widespread opinion to the contrary, chronic pain is real, has real causes, is not a synonymous with mental weakness or drug addiction. the educational level must change before the dialogue will change. It is time to get some respect for chronic pain patients.
gcwardell 