What is the Chronic Pain Association of Canada
Goals Major Activities Support Group Statement
Adequate treatment of pain is essential to alleviate suffering, yet studies show that patients with chronic pain often receive inadequate pain relief. The large number of conditions, which include pain as part of the illness, and the number of personal experiences of chronic pain sufferers, indicate that the problem of chronic pain in our society is far greater than we realize. Studies have shown the incidence of chronic pain in our society ranges from 16 % to 44 % of our population and causes untold suffering as well as a huge financial expense to our health care system.
Although universally acknowledged, pain is experienced in ways that vary with ethnicity, gender, age, social class, and condition. The implications to health care are obvious. If culture is a lens through which the world is perceived and understood, each refraction will depend on the particular prism employed. People bring their culturally determined values, behaviours and biases to all consequential experiences, especially interpersonal encounters. The meaning pain holds for sufferers and those attending them determines the intensity with which it is perceived and the response it generates. Substantial differences among patients, families, and caregivers in their perceptions of and reactions to pain affect the ways pain is expressed, the ways in which relief is requested, and how it is administered.
The importance of decision-making is nowhere more striking than in the health care setting. Issues of control and choice, influenced by cultural background, current illness, perceived obligations, and education are brought into sharp focus as people from different vantage points grapple with complex and emotion-laden dilemmas. Ultimately, the pain experience must be accepted as what the patient says it is and compassion must speak in the most forceful and universal tongue to relieve pain.
The goals of the Chronic Pain Association of Canada are: Major Activities Support Group Statement Top
To advance the treatment and management of chronic pain.
To increase the understanding of how pain affects the lives of those who suffer and use this understanding to improve their quality of life.
To educate all who are involved in the field of pain management; patient, caregivers, families, friends, employers, and co-workers.
To develop partnerships between patients and caregivers.
To ensure patients realize their responsibilities within the partnership of pain management.
The major activities of the Chronic Pain association of Canada are: Goals, Support Group Statement Top
To provide a meeting place for the consideration and discussion of questions concerning pain that affects the interests of the community.
To provide information to the general public concerning the treatment of chronic pain.
To work towards establishing multi-disciplinary Pain Centres that use all the methods of treating and managing pain.
To improve the way the medical profession is educated about the treatment and management of pain.
Support Group Statement of Purpose:
The Chronic Pain Association of Canada support groups will offer those suffering from chronic pain the opportunity to improve their quality of life and knowledge of all the treatments that are available to help manage their pain. The support groups will end the isolation of sufferers by showing that they may rely on others like themselves for understanding and help. Through their personal knowledge and experience, the gathering of information, and the advocacy of education and research, members will improve their quality of life and ultimately change how all sufferers are treated.