Chronic pain as a human rights issue: setting an agenda for preventative action

摘要

Background: Historically, chronic pain has been viewed primarily as a medical issue, and research has been focused on the individual and predominantly on pain sufferers in high-income countries.Objectives: This article argues the need for a broader understanding of the context of chronic pain and its complex aetiologies and maintenance. It is suggested that the interaction between chronic pain and social context has been inadequately explored.Methods: A single case study is used of a man living in a violent urban environment in South Africa accessing a pain clinic at a tertiary hospital. Following the case-study approach, as used in the chronic traumatic stress field by Kaminer et al., the case material is utilised to develop an argument for a new research agenda.Results: Analysis of the case material demonstrates the complex interplay between bodily and psychological experiences, with chronic pain being contextually maintained and exacerbated by very difficult life circumstances, ongoing violence...