Useful Information

So are long-term health conditions (including pain) a problem around the world

Yes, people with long-term health conditions has become a problem worldwide, so you are not on your own. According to most sources, globally, approximately one in three of all adults suffer from multiple chronic conditions. There isn’t a definitive figure yet, so the latest number for people living with long-term health conditions is 26 million people in the UK live with at least one long-term health condition and 10 million who have two or more.

Regarding pain in the UK, here are some facts about long-term pain from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Pain affects between one-third and one-half of the population of the UK, corresponding to just under 28 million adults, based on data from the best available published studies. This figure is likely to increase further in line with an ageing population.

People with persistent pain were more likely to be anxious or depressed - 69% with severe pain are worried about their moods. 

Pete says: People with a long-term health condition are likely to be worried, anxious and even get depressed. 

Why do I need to manage my health? After all I see my healthcare professional and aren’t, they supposed to do that for me?

Many people with long-term health conditions see their healthcare professional for treatment, help and support. But have you actually estimated just how many hours during the course of a year you spend with your healthcare professional? It has been said that people with health conditions (including pain) may spend less than 3 hours a year on average in contact with a healthcare professional. For the remaining 8,733 hours of the year they are on their own. So, the need to learn self-management skills and incorporate them in their everyday activities is very important.

Don't forget to get a digital copy of the Self-Management Toolkit here