“Under-Researched” Pain Management

Severe mental illness (SMI) is associated with an earlier death by 15 to 20 years, poor physical health, diabetes, HIV, and a higher burden of pain. A study published in PAIN sought to uncover innovations for the optimization of pain management in this group—defined as schizophrenia spectrum, bipolar, and major depressive disorders. Despite the clinically relevant pain experienced by this group, “pain is not routinely assessed and managed in this population and pain communication and assessment might be obscured by the nature of the severe mental illness,” said coauthor Whitney Scott, PhD, Kings College London.

Suggestions for improvement include better access to inclusive, integrated treatments, cooperation from those with lived experience, and better communication from clinicians. The study concludes, “There is an urgent need to advance research and practice to improve pain management in people with SMI. This work should draw on synergies in the existing evidence for managing pain and SMI. Meaningful involvement of people with lived experience is essential to advance this agenda.”

 

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Other Categories:

• comorbidities

• depression

• Diabetes

• HIV

• integrative pain management

• pain management