Pain: The Most Underestimated Public-Health Challenge of Our Time

Abstract

Pain, in its acute or chronic forms, is currently one of the most prevalent yet underestimated public-health issue. Population-scale studies revealed that over one in five adults worldwide experiences chronic pain, which limit their routine functions and productivity leading to a compromised life.¹ Despite the magnitude of its influence, pain is often treated as a clinically incidental issue instead of an essential concern that demands a structured, systemic response.²