THE COST OF PAIN TO CANADIANS
PAIN NUMBERS ARE ON THE RISE :
Currently 7 MILLION or 1 in 4 Canadians live in chronic intractable pain. As the boomer population faces aging and retirement over the next 3- 5 years, it is projected to reach 1 in 3.
Medical statistics indicate that 10- 50 % of all surgery patients will be left with burning electric shock like pain, that will not resolve. The majority of office visits to General practitioners and almost 78 % of Emergency room visits, can be directly linked to pain conditions.
Currently 7 MILLION or 1 in 4 Canadians live in chronic intractable pain. As the boomer population faces aging and retirement over the next 3- 5 years, it is projected to reach 1 in 3.
Medical statistics indicate that 10- 50 % of all surgery patients will be left with burning electric shock like pain, that will not resolve. The majority of office visits to General practitioners and almost 78 % of Emergency room visits, can be directly linked to pain conditions.
PAIN IS EXPENSIVE : Recent statistics estimate Pain costs the Canadian public up to $ 60 Billion a year in direct health care costs and lost productivity. That’s more than cancer, heart disease and HIV combined. Discussion on Pain is virtually ignored in health care reform. Only ¼ of 1% of all federal dollars for health research in Canada goes to pain related studies. Pain is grossly underfunded.
( * Based on figures from Relieving Pain in America- 2011)
PAIN KILLS : Pain patients are twice as likely to kill themselves, from depression and despair. It is demoralizing and isolating. Chronic Pain sufferers on average, die 2- 5 years earlier than people without pain. A survey of 10 major Canadian universities found that Veterinary Medicine students receive approx. 87 hrs of mandatory training on how to treat pain, while Medical Students receive on average 16 hrs.
PAIN IS INVISIBLE : A recent survey of Canadians revealed that 54 % do not believe that chronic pain exists. In contrast, 58 % surveyed believe we have been visited by life on other planets. Society turns away from those who live in chronic pain. They are not believed by their workplace colleagues, their spouses, their families, their doctors. They are often shunned , considered to be “ feeders” off insurance & disability plans.
~ Statistics Canada / Canadian Mainstream News Outlets
THE COST OF PAIN TO AMERICANS
Recent statistics indicate that 113 Million Americans currently live in chronic, intractable pain. The estimated cost annually to the USA in medical treatments and lost productivity is a whopping $ 630 BILLION. The epidemic of Chronic pain, is far greater than what some would call the "epidemic of prescription pain killer abuse." ( * Relieving Pain In America 2011)
Legitimate pain patients seeking a quality of life, many attempting to remain a vital part of the work-force, are unjustly punished by pain pill abusers. Countless numbers of pain patients who rely on prescriptions to control severe pain , are consistently looked down upon as "addicts" by some Pharmacists, Doctors and those in society who cannot comprehend what living in Chronic pain is like. They are oftentimes penalized by the behavior of those who take drugs irresponsibility, to get "high." Pain patients simply put, do not get "high" from prescriptives designed to manage pain. Their medications are titrated to a dosage that allows them to be lucid and functionable, without being euphoric.
There are nearly 79 million baby boomers who will reach 65, between now and 2020. The U.S. health care system is not in any way equipped to handle the medical needs of that emerging demographic.
Arthritis alone is comprised of over 100 conditions. 1 in 5 Americans live with some form of it, from juvenile arthritis and R.A. ( rheumatoid arthritis) which are autoimmune diseases to osteoarthritis, the most prevalent. It is the leading cause of disability for people aged 55 and older.
In the final years of a persons life they can spend up to 50 % of their total lifetime health care costs.
In 2020 ( in terms of today's dollar) , we are looking at expenses of up to $15 TRILLION annually, for the boomer generation.
~ U.S.Mainstream News Outlets
THE COST OF PAIN TO BRITONS (UK)
The latest statistics coming out of the U.K. reveal that 10 Million Britons live in chronic pain.
9.4 million working days are lost to arthritic pain annually.
4.9 million days are lost to employee absentism due to pain annually.
Back pain costs the exchequer of Briton $ 5 Billion annually
Adolescents in pain costs the U.K. 4 Billion annually in services.
~ The British Pain Society
THE COST OF PAIN TO AUSTRALIANS
I out of 5 Australians currently live in Chronic Pain.
9.9 million absent workdays annually are due to chronic pain.
The AUD. Cost to public and society is reported to be 1.4 Billion per annum
In 2007, the total estimated cost of Chronic Pain to Australian Society was 34 Billion.
(Back problems alone comprised 4 billion.)
“The Developed world's largest undiscovered Health Problem”
~ Professor Michael Cousins
A.M. Chair, National Pain Strategy
( * Based on figures from Relieving Pain in America- 2011)
PAIN KILLS : Pain patients are twice as likely to kill themselves, from depression and despair. It is demoralizing and isolating. Chronic Pain sufferers on average, die 2- 5 years earlier than people without pain. A survey of 10 major Canadian universities found that Veterinary Medicine students receive approx. 87 hrs of mandatory training on how to treat pain, while Medical Students receive on average 16 hrs.
PAIN IS INVISIBLE : A recent survey of Canadians revealed that 54 % do not believe that chronic pain exists. In contrast, 58 % surveyed believe we have been visited by life on other planets. Society turns away from those who live in chronic pain. They are not believed by their workplace colleagues, their spouses, their families, their doctors. They are often shunned , considered to be “ feeders” off insurance & disability plans.
~ Statistics Canada / Canadian Mainstream News Outlets
THE COST OF PAIN TO AMERICANS
Recent statistics indicate that 113 Million Americans currently live in chronic, intractable pain. The estimated cost annually to the USA in medical treatments and lost productivity is a whopping $ 630 BILLION. The epidemic of Chronic pain, is far greater than what some would call the "epidemic of prescription pain killer abuse." ( * Relieving Pain In America 2011)
Legitimate pain patients seeking a quality of life, many attempting to remain a vital part of the work-force, are unjustly punished by pain pill abusers. Countless numbers of pain patients who rely on prescriptions to control severe pain , are consistently looked down upon as "addicts" by some Pharmacists, Doctors and those in society who cannot comprehend what living in Chronic pain is like. They are oftentimes penalized by the behavior of those who take drugs irresponsibility, to get "high." Pain patients simply put, do not get "high" from prescriptives designed to manage pain. Their medications are titrated to a dosage that allows them to be lucid and functionable, without being euphoric.
There are nearly 79 million baby boomers who will reach 65, between now and 2020. The U.S. health care system is not in any way equipped to handle the medical needs of that emerging demographic.
Arthritis alone is comprised of over 100 conditions. 1 in 5 Americans live with some form of it, from juvenile arthritis and R.A. ( rheumatoid arthritis) which are autoimmune diseases to osteoarthritis, the most prevalent. It is the leading cause of disability for people aged 55 and older.
In the final years of a persons life they can spend up to 50 % of their total lifetime health care costs.
In 2020 ( in terms of today's dollar) , we are looking at expenses of up to $15 TRILLION annually, for the boomer generation.
~ U.S.Mainstream News Outlets
THE COST OF PAIN TO BRITONS (UK)
The latest statistics coming out of the U.K. reveal that 10 Million Britons live in chronic pain.
9.4 million working days are lost to arthritic pain annually.
4.9 million days are lost to employee absentism due to pain annually.
Back pain costs the exchequer of Briton $ 5 Billion annually
Adolescents in pain costs the U.K. 4 Billion annually in services.
~ The British Pain Society
THE COST OF PAIN TO AUSTRALIANS
I out of 5 Australians currently live in Chronic Pain.
9.9 million absent workdays annually are due to chronic pain.
The AUD. Cost to public and society is reported to be 1.4 Billion per annum
In 2007, the total estimated cost of Chronic Pain to Australian Society was 34 Billion.
(Back problems alone comprised 4 billion.)
“The Developed world's largest undiscovered Health Problem”
~ Professor Michael Cousins
A.M. Chair, National Pain Strategy