Surveys & reports

Survey of undergraduate pain curricula for healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom.
A short report.

Click here to read the survey report.

The Pain Education SIG of the British Pain Society.
Principal Investigators:
Dr Eloise Carr
Dr Emma Briggs
Ms Maggie Whittaker

GfK NOP Pain Survey (2005)
Almost 10 million Britons suffer pain almost daily resulting in a major impact on their quality of life and more days off work

Over two days from 23rd - 25th September 2005 a Pain Survey was conducted by research group Gfk NOP on behalf of the British Pain Society using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing of 975 people across Great Britain. Weighting was applied to the data to bring them in line with national profiles.

The 2005 Pain Survey and press office support was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited.

Several of the questions asked in the 2005 Pain Survey repeated a similar poll conducted by NOP on behalf of the British Pain Society in 2002, in order to compare how people’s experience and treatment of pain had changed.

You can view the summary report and accompanying press release of the results of the survey by clicking on the links to the right

Pdf of summary report
Pdf of Press sheet
Pdf of media fact sheet
Pdf of full report

Adult Chronic Pain Management Services in the UK (2003)
This research, carried out by Dr Foster in consultation with the Pain Society, looks at the specialist chronic pain clinic services available in UK hospitals.

You can view and print a copy of the publication by clicking the blue link below.

Pdf of publication

Pain in Europe Survey (2003)
The biggest ever survey of patients in chronic pain was released in October to mark the European Week Against Pain 2003. The Pain in Europe Survey (PIE) reveals how long-term pain not only effects the elderly but also young people's lives.

Click here to view this survey

For further information and questions about the survey please contact:
Avenue Healthcare Knowledge Management Ltd
10 Windmill Road
Chiswick
London W4 1SD
Tel: 020 8747 4400

The Pain in Europe Survey was sponsored by Mundipharma International/Napp Pharmaceuticals

NOP Pain Survey (2002)
This survey of 1,000 people (486 men and 514 women) asked respondents if they were in pain, how this affected their quality of life and if they sought treatment. The sample was representative of different age groups: 32% were aged 15-34 years, 35% were 35-54 years and 33% were aged 55 and over.

Over a quarter of people surveyed were in pain on the day they were questioned. A fifth of all respondents experience pain most days or every day. The number of people in pain increases with age; two-fifths of the over-65s are in pain at least most days. Everyday pain was less likely to be experienced by members of higher socio-economic classes, with one in 20 from the AB group reporting everyday pain, compared with nearly one in 5 (17%) from the DE group.

Pain affected people’s quality of life, with 85% of those who said pain affected their lives being less physically active as a result. Becoming depressed was relatively common, reported by 44% of respondents whose quality of life was affected by their pain. Men appeared to be more adversely affected: more men than women took time off work, were less physically active, had depression and said their sex life was affected.

Respondents were asked if they consulted a health professional about their pain in the last 12 months. Just under a third (30%) of those with pain had not visited their GP, and only 7% of respondents who had pain visited a pain specialist or pain clinic. 15% of those who reported pain had not consulted anybody in the last 12 months.

Of respondents who reported pain at least some days, only just over 40% had a prescription for treating their pain and just over 30% self-treated with ‘over-the-counter’ medicines from a chemist or supermarket. 11% of respondents with pain remained untreated, taking no medicine.

For a full copy of the report, please click the link below:

Pdf of full report

Clinical Standards Advisory Group (CSAG): Services for patients with pain (2000)

The Clinical Standards Advisory Group (CSAG) was established in April 1991, as an independent source of expert advice to the UK Health Ministers and to the NHS on standards of clinical care for, and access to and availability of services to, NHS patients.

Ministers asked CSAG to advise on standards of clinical care for NHS patients with acute and chronic pain and on access to and availability of services.

The CSAG committee oversaw a study of services in a sample of UK districts and boards, in relation to clinical needs, standards and available evidence of clinical effectiveness. A combined team from Manchester and Leicester Universities carried out the study in 1997 in 12 acute NHS Trusts.

The research team and the committee undertook studies and local visits. Data were obtained from hospitals, primary care, community services, complementary therapists and purchasers.

A national survey was conducted of heads of all pain services in acute NHS Trusts in the UK. A wide variety of national organisations with an interest in pain control was also surveyed.

For a full copy of the report, please click the links below:

Contents to Section 4
Section 5-9
Section 10 - Appendix A
Appendix B - Appendix D