Around 70% of Australians with chronic pain have been unable to work, according to new data from Chronic Pain Australia (CPA).
The not-for-profit’s annual National Pain Report found around 3.6 million Australians have chronic pain.
According to CPA, chronic pain refers to pain involving the nervous system that can persist for three or more months. It can impact a person’s emotional, financial, and social situation.
The report found several factors, including time and cost, are preventing people from getting a diagnosis and treatment.
Methodology
CPA surveyed around 2,600 adults and asked them about their experiences of chronic pain between April-June 2024.
Around 80% of respondents were female, 17% were male, and the remainder were non-binary or didn’t say.
According to the Victorian Department of Health, women are more likely to be impacted by chronic pain than men.
“Women generally experience more recurrent pain, more severe pain, and longer-lasting pain than men,” it said.
Findings
- 69% of respondents have been unable to work due to chronic pain.
- 66% felt chronic pain placed a strain on their family and relationships.
- 54% experienced changed eating habits because of chronic pain.
- 77% of people living with chronic pain experience mental ill-health, according to CPA.
- 9 in 10 respondents said chronic pain had disturbed their sleep.
Stigma
Women and non-binary people experienced higher rates of stigma from GPs, compared to men.
Around one in five respondents experienced stigma from employees, or life partners.
Medicinal cannabis
A third of respondents also said driving restrictions on prescribed cannabis was a barrier to use. Nearly half said cost was the main barrier to medicinal cannabis.
Around a third of respondents have used medicinal cannabis for pain management. A further 38% said they want to or are planning to use medicinal cannabis.
Cost
Chronic pain treatments cost more than half of respondents $50 to $200 a week.
27% of respondents said they cut spending on food to afford pain treatment.
