In Italy, over 10 million adults suffer from chronic pain and they are predominantly women
.
The estimate, the first validated at a national level, is contained in the Istisan Report 'Chronic pain in Italy and its psychosocial correlates from the European Health Interview Survey 2019', published by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità.
The survey involved over 44 thousand participants, of which approximately 38,800 responded to the short questionnaire on chronic pain, included in the European Health Survey conducted by Istat.
It emerges that chronic pain affects ten million people (
around 4 million men and almost 6 and a half million women) and is present in 8% of the population aged 18-44, with an increase to 21.3% among 45-54 year olds, 35% among 65-74 year olds, up to 50% among over 85 year olds
.
The gap in prevalence estimates between males and females begins as early as 35 years of age and gradually grows to the detriment of females, with rates more than 15 points higher among the elderly (65 years and older).
Overall, 60% of adults with chronic pain in Italy are female.
The distribution across the territory is variable, with a more evident disadvantage in the South for those over 65, while the causes that may be at the origin, or underlying the onset of chronic pain, include: a primary disease, already diagnosed, usually related to a state of pain (52%), a trauma (21%), a surgery (7%), a tumor (3%).
There is a not insignificant share of people with chronic pain who do not yet have a clear diagnosis of the disease, 13%, and who report high or very high intensity of pain in 23% of cases.
On the mental health side, as many as 13% of those suffering from chronic pain have moderate to severe depressive symptoms compared to less than 2% in the unaffected population.
There is a co-morbid condition between chronic pain and depression to the detriment of female people and people with a lower level of education.
"The study - underline the authors - fills a knowledge gap that, at least in part, had persisted since 2003, the year in which Harald Breivik and colleagues from the University of Oslo conducted a survey on chronic pain in European countries. The high prevalence of chronic pain in the adult population and the other estimates presented in the Report, referring, for example, to comorbidities, mental health, the role of sociodemographic factors or the impact of chronic pain on work and disability, offer a valuable epidemiological framework for identifying of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation needs, for the definition of prevention models and, last but not least, the definition of social-welfare support plans".
"The phenomenon thus outlined requires adequate attention and reliable and validated measurements. - they continue - With this first Report, the Istituto Superiore di Sanità inaugurates the epidemiological monitoring of chronic pain in the country, with the contribution and collaboration of Istat and ISAL Foundation (Institute for Research and Study of Pain).The informative impact that this monitoring produces has allowed, already in 2020, its inclusion in the National Statistical Program and will hopefully favor the full application of what the Italian law has already made provisions since 2010 (L. n. 38 -15 March 2010) regarding access to the pain therapy network for all".
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