Helping the Hurting: Chronic Pain Management in Primary Care

Chronic pain is one of the most common and challenging management issues in primary care. In the United States, up to 40 percent of the adult population suffers from moderate to severe chronic pain. Especially when untreated and under-treated, chronic pain is associated with depression, unemployment, and significantly lower quality of life. Pain lasting months or years has a major negative impact not only on physical health but also on employment, social and family life, emotions, and psychological well-being.

Fibromyalgia, low back pain, and osteoarthritis, while distinct disease states, share characteristics in how they are managed in primary care. Diagnosis can be uncertain; treatment focuses not on curing these conditions, but on long-term symptom management and maintenance of function. Systems barriers preclude the comprehensive, multi-disciplinary model of care proven to be optimal for managing chronic pain. As the population ages, chronic pain conditions - which already constitute a significant segment of primary care - are becoming an even more widespread and vital concern for health.

The University of Cincinnati Center for Continuous Professional Development, the Office of Continuing Medical Education of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Healthcare Performance Consulting, and Interstate Postgraduate Medical Association have joined in collaboration to assess educational needs surrounding primary care management of fibromyalgia, low back pain, and osteoarthritis. Funded through an independent educational grant from Pfizer, Helping the Hurting: Chronic Pain Management in Primary Care aims to assess and analyze needs assessment data in order to present implications and recommendations for developing continuing education in primary care.

Helping the Hurting: Chronic Pain Management in Primary Care Full Report