The Cost of Pain to Society

Lost productive time from common painful conditions was estimated to be $61.2 billion per year, while 76.6% of lost productive time was explained by reduced work performance, not absenteeism. Over half (52.7%) of the workforce surveyed reported having headache, back pain, arthritis, or other musculoskeletal pain in the past two weeks, and 12.7% of all workforce lost productive time in a two-week period due to pain. [Stewart, W.F., Ricci, J.A., Chee, E., Morganstein, D., & Lipton, R. (2003). Lost productive time and cost due to common pain conditions in the US workforce. Journal of the American Medical Association, 290(18), 2443-2454.]

Those with chronic pain experience difficulties on the job and their personal relationships suffer due to their condition. [Americans Living With Pain Survey, conducted for the American Chronic Pain Association, 2005]

The National Institutes of Health estimated that pain costs over $100 billion/year in medical expenses, lost wages and lost productivity. [National Institutes of Health, "The NIH guide: New directions in pain research I," Washington, DC: GPO, 1998.]

Talking Points on Pain

Magnitude of the Pain Problem

Over 75 million Americans suffer serious pain annually: 50 million of those endure serious chronic pain (pain lasting 6 months or more), and another 25 million experience acute pain (i.e. injuries, accidents, surgeries). [National Pain Survey, conducted for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, 1999]

Headache, lower back pain, arthritis and other joint pain, and peripheral neuropathy are the most common forms of chronic pain. ["Pain in America," study sponsored by Mayday Fund, 1998]

Over 26 million adults experience frequent back pain and 2/3 of Americans will have back pain during their lifetime. [Dionne, C.E., "Low back pain," Epidemiology of Pain, Seattle: IASP, 1999.]

1 in 6 Americans suffers from arthritis. [Lawrence, R.C., et al, "Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and selected musculoskeletal disorders in the United States," Arthritis and Rheumatism, 1998.]

Close to 4 million Americans - mostly women - suffer from Fibromyalgia, a complex condition involving widespread pain and other symptoms.

Chronic pain adversely affects quality of life for people with pain, both in terms of their day-to-day activities and their emotional well-being. [Americans Living With Pain Survey, conducted for the American Chronic Pain Association, 2005]

The Gross Undertreatment of Pain in America

A 1999 study, Chronic Pain in America, found that only 1 in 4 of those with pain received adequate treatment. ["Chronic Pain in America," survey conducted for American Pain Society, American Academy of Pain Medicine and Janssen Pharmaceutica, 1999.]

An estimated 70% of those with cancer experience significant pain during their illness, yet in early studies of cancer pain fewer than half received adequate treatment for their pain. [Grossman, S., et al, "Correlation of patient and caregiver ratings of cancer pain," Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 1991; Von Roenn, et al, "Physician attitude and practice in cancer pain management," Annals of Internal Medicine, 1993.]

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) of nursing home patients with cancer found that 24% of patients with significant pain received nothing stronger than aspirin.

Another study published in JAMA found that 41% of nursing home patients who were admitted with moderate to severe pain still had approximately the same level of pain six months later.

The Cost of Pain to Society

Lost productive time from common painful conditions was estimated to be $61.2 billion per year, while 76.6% of lost productive time was explained by reduced work performance, not absenteeism. Over half (52.7%) of the workforce surveyed reported having headache, back pain, arthritis, or other musculoskeletal pain in the past two weeks, and 12.7% of all workforce lost productive time in a two-week period due to pain. [Stewart, W.F., Ricci, J.A., Chee, E., Morganstein, D., & Lipton, R. (2003). Lost productive time and cost due to common pain conditions in the US workforce. Journal of the American Medical Association, 290(18), 2443-2454.]

Those with chronic pain experience difficulties on the job and their personal relationships suffer due to their condition. [Americans Living With Pain Survey, conducted for the American Chronic Pain Association, 2005]

The National Institutes of Health estimated that pain costs over $100 billion/year in medical expenses, lost wages and lost productivity. [National Institutes of Health, "The NIH guide: New directions in pain research I," Washington, DC: GPO, 1998.]