As you may know, officials have reported that Ohio is on track to have over 10,000 overdose deaths this year, making the state the epicenter of the United States opioid epidemic. This alarming rate is higher than the total number of overdose deaths for the entire nation in 1990. Couple this with the fact that almost 72% of physicians say they have inadequate knowledge of pain treatment and opioid dependency management, and it becomes clear that something must change in the way our healthcare system approaches pain management.
Over 100 million Americans have chronic or persistent pain, meaning they are most likely being treated with conventional medications, surgery, injection, or physical therapy. What’s troubling is the fact that 75% of people with chronic pain who visited an emergency room reported a desire for information on pain treatment options, but only half reported actually receiving such information.
This June 2017 infographic – Patient Education and Chronic Pain, by Regis Online health care programs – provides information on different strategies doctors can implement to best educate their patients and gain a better understanding of how pain affects their individual patients.
Enjoy our health infographics album on Flickr.