A major challenge for a generous welfare system: A heavy socio‐economic burden of chronic pain conditions in S weden – and how to meet this challenge
Open accessAbstract
In this issue of the European Journal of Pain, Gustavsson and co-workers publish an interesting and important study based on data from administrative databases from half (54%) of the 1.6 million inhabitants in the Västra Götaland region of Sweden (Gustavsson et al., 2012).These databases provided patient-level direct and indirect costs to the healthcare and welfare systems of 840,000 patients with one or more diagnoses that commonly are associated with prolonged pain, for the years 2004-2009.Costs were for direct inpatient and outpatient care, drug prescriptions, long-term (more than 15 days) sick leaves, and early retirements.
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It is estimated that 40-60% of patients with chronic pain have inadequate management of their pain.
“It is estimated that 40–60 % of patients with chronic pain have inadequate management of their pain [9, 10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
In patients with chronic pain, 21% had been diagnosed with depression because of their pain.
“Breivik more recently demonstrated that, in patients with chronic pain, 21 % had been diagnosed with depression because of their pain, 61 % were less able or unable to work outside the home, 19 % had lost their job and 13 % had changed jobs because of their pain [10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
In patients with chronic pain, 19% had lost their job.
“Breivik more recently demonstrated that, in patients with chronic pain, 21 % had been diagnosed with depression because of their pain, 61 % were less able or unable to work outside the home, 19 % had lost their job and 13 % had changed jobs because of their pain [10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
In patients with chronic pain, 13% had changed jobs because of their pain.
“Breivik more recently demonstrated that, in patients with chronic pain, 21 % had been diagnosed with depression because of their pain, 61 % were less able or unable to work outside the home, 19 % had lost their job and 13 % had changed jobs because of their pain [10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
In patients with chronic pain, 61% were less able or unable to work outside the home.
“Breivik more recently demonstrated that, in patients with chronic pain, 21 % had been diagnosed with depression because of their pain, 61 % were less able or unable to work outside the home, 19 % had lost their job and 13 % had changed jobs because of their pain [10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
Almost half of all people with chronic pain were taking non-prescription analgesics, including NSAIDs (55%), paracetamol (43%) and weak opioids (13%).
“In their large-scale study of chronic pain, Breivik found that almost half of all people with chronic pain were taking non-prescription analgesics, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (55 %), paracetamol (acetaminophen) (43 %) and weak opioids (13 %).”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
Two thirds of chronic pain sufferers were using non-medication treatments, including massage (30%), physical therapy (21%) and acupuncture (13%).
“Breivik’s evaluation of patients with chronic pain demonstrated that one third of chronic pain sufferers were not currently using any treatment and that two thirds were using non-medication treatments, including massage (30 %), physical therapy (21 %) and acupuncture (13 %) [10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
One third of chronic pain sufferers were not currently using any treatment.
“Breivik’s evaluation of patients with chronic pain demonstrated that one third of chronic pain sufferers were not currently using any treatment and that two thirds were using non-medication treatments, including massage (30 %), physical therapy (21 %) and acupuncture (13 %) [10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
Two thirds of people with chronic pain were taking prescription medicines, including NSAIDs (44%), weak opioids (23%), paracetamol (18%), COX-2 inhibitors (1-36%) and strong opioids (5%).
“Two thirds were taking prescription medicines, including NSAIDs (44 %), weak opioids (23 %), paracetamol (acetaminophen) (18 %), COX-2 inhibitors (1–36 %) and strong opioids (5 %) [10].”
From Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review (2016) · cites this paper as [10]
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Cites
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Pain as a reason to visit the doctor: a study in Finnish primary health care
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Burden of Illness of Chronic Low Back Pain in Sweden
Ekman, M., Jönhagen, S., Hunsche, E., & Jönsson, L. (2005) · Spine · doi:10.1097/01.brs.0000171911.99348.90 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Gustavsson, A., Bjorkman, J., Ljungcrantz, C., Rhodin, A., Rivano‐Fischer, M., Sjölund, K., & Mannheimer, C. (2011) · European Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.ejpain.2011.07.006 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
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Direct and indirect costs of managing patients with musculoskeletal pain—challenge for health care
Mäntyselkä, P. T., Kumpusalo, E. A., Ahonen, R. S., & Takala, J. K. (2002) · European Journal of Pain · doi:10.1053/eujp.2001.0311 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Chronic non‐malignant pain patients and health economic consequences
Thomsen, A. B., Sørensen, J. R., Sjøgren, P., & Eriksen, J. (2002) · European Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/s1090-3801(02)00023-x · Cited by 81 · see citing works
Breivik, H., Ljosaa, T. M., Stengaard‐Pedersen, K., Persson, J., Aro, H. T., Villumsen, J., & Tvinnemose, D. (2010) · Scandinavian Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.sjpain.2010.05.035 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Self-citationThe economics associated with persistent pain
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Help and hope at the bottom of the pile
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A population based study of the prevalence of pain in Iceland
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Eriksen J. Long-term/chronic non-cancer pain. Epidemiology, health-care utilization, socioeconomy and aspects of treatment. Doctoral thesis, University of Copenhagen, 2004.
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Identification and Management of Chronic Pain in Primary Care: a Review
Mills, S., Torrance, N., & Smith, B. H. (2016) · Current Psychiatry Reports · doi:10.1007/s11920-015-0659-9 · Cited by 216 · see citing works
- Authors
- Breivik, H.
- Affiliations
- Oslo University Hospital (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Breivik, H.
- ORCID
- Breivik, H.
- Venue
- European Journal of Pain
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-12-19
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 167-169
- ISSN
- 1090-3801 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-2149
- OpenAlex
- W2083932589
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 0.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- European Journal of Pain (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Opioid Use
- Keywords
- chronic pain, health care costs, welfare costs, sick leave, early retirement, drug prescribing, inpatient and outpatient care, economic burden of illness
- MeSH terms
- Female, Humans, Male, Registries, Health Care Costs, Chronic Pain
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