MILAN – Mild and moderate chronic pain affects approximately 13 million people in Italy, heavily influencing patients’ quality of life and causing disability, social and work isolation, as well as high economic costs (36.4 billion euros, of which 25, 2 billion in indirect costs). In Lombardy, based on national prevalence numbers, there are approximately 2 million affected citizens. A worrying reality is given by the fact that recent estimates indicate a strong inappropriateness in pharmacological treatments and uncertainty in treatment paths. This is the picture that emerged during the event “Prescriptive appropriateness and correct information are key factors in the management of chronic pain – Lombardy Region” organized by Healthcare Enginewith the unconditional contribution of Angelini Pharma.
Furthermore, There are still prejudices, false myths and fake news around chronic pain which lead patients to carry out incorrect actions, from self-medication to searching for diagnoses on the internet, to suspending therapy because they are poorly motivated or disappointed by expectations.
The importance of prescriptive appropriateness
The appropriateness of prescribing painkillers plays an important role not only in optimizing therapeutic efficacy, but also in minimizing common side effects (gastrointestinal, renal, cardiovascular), largely due to inappropriate use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and avoid unwanted interactions that may lead to further additional costs in the healthcare sector.
Necessary improvement actions
Chronic mild and moderate pain has a negative impact on daily life and on the work capacity of sick people and constitutes a heavy financial burden on healthcare systems. Several studies have highlighted that the average annual cost per patient amounts to 4,556 euros, of which 69% is represented by indirect costs as a direct consequence of the compromised working capacity that pain can cause. All in all, the impact of chronic pain costs on public health spending would be 9.6%with an impact on GDP of 2.3%.
These results confirm that chronic pain entails high costs, both medical and social, Also in Italy. In this scenario it is necessary to intervene as soon as possible on some critical issues with concrete improvement actions: greater attention to the healthcare governance of pain, even in cases of mild and moderate pain, investment in the efficiency of pain therapy networks (resources and structures adequate), an improvement in patient access to care (integrated PDTAs and reduction of economic barriers), adequate training of health professionals, a broader awareness of public opinion and political decision-makers on the importance of investing in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain.
