Speak Up Your Pain: Patient’s Chronic Pain Pathway

Introduction:The management of chronic pain is a priority in the western world, the ageing of the population and the development of chronic diseases will increase the demand for care.In order to alleviate their symptoms, patients must navigate the maze of options offered by the healthcare system.The "Speak up your pain" study gives patients the opportunity to describe their relationship with the health system and the different stages of their care.Method: A descriptive study was carried out.A questionnaire containing 113 questions, designed in partnership with patient associations, was published on the Internet for 3 months with the aim of developing a complete portrait of the chronic pain patient.Results: 646 questionnaires were collected.Fifty-seven percent of respondents suffer from at least one rheumatic condition.Fifty-four percent of the patients had to wait more than a year to have their chronic pain diagnosed.Seventy-nine percent of the patients use their GPs to follow up on their chronic pain.Eighty-five percent of patients feel confident with their GP and 86% feel listened to.Eighty-six percent of patients follow a prescribed drug treatment.Only 44.8% of patients said they followed the dosage strictly.As for the social aspect of pain, the annual out of the pocket cost is 250.35.Ninety-five percent of respondents mention pain impacts their family life.One request from patients for better pain management would be to reduce the level of associated fatigue, as well as new therapeutic solutions for pain.Conclusion: This study highlights the need to improve chronic pain care pathways.With a high number of patients waiting over a year for diagnosis, trying alternative treatments, and facing impacts on work and social life, a coordinated, comprehensive approach is essential to ensure global care without interruptions.