Pain research & management : the journal of the Canadian Pain Society = journal de la société canadienne pour le traitement de la douleur
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Comparative Study
Chronic pain in Canada--prevalence, treatment, impact and the role of opioid analgesia.
To assess the prevalence, treatment and impact of chronic pain in Canada. ⋯ Chronic noncancer pain is common in Canadian adults and has a major social and economic impact. Despite growing evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of major opioid analgesics for chronic noncancer pain, less than 10% of chronic pain patients taking prescription medication were treated with a major opioid. Chronic pain is undertreated in Canada, and major opioid analgesics are probably underutilized in the management of moderate to severe pain as part of a multidisciplinary treatment program.