Evaluation of satisfaction with treatment for chronic pain in Canada

Donald Schopflocher, University of Alberta
Marguerite L. Sagna, University of Alberta

Chronic pain represents a major health care issue due to its deleterious impact on quality of life and substantial cost for society. However, there is increasing evidence that chronic pain is still not well understood and appropriately treated by physicians. Concern among clinicians of potential addiction to prescription drugs often influences the way pain is treated, which may leave many patients with unrelieved or undertreated pain. The purpose of this study is to examine factors associated with satisfaction with treatment for chronic pain in Canada using data from two independent telephone surveys conducted in 2007 and 2008 by Nanos Research. The findings reveal that only 54% of chronic pain sufferers reported being satisfied with the management of their pain. Logistic regression analyses reveal that satisfaction with treatment for chronic pain is significantly associated with age, gender, region of residence, cause of pain and pain duration. Further, results demonstrate that satisfaction with treatment for chronic pain decreases the likelihood of anxiety/depression, poor general health and reduces the frequency of health care resources.