Interest in epidemiological research into pain, especially chronic pain, has increased in the past two decades. Verhaak and co-workers1 reviewed studies assessing the prevalence of chronic pain from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. On the basis of the , reviewed studies, which varied extensively in methods and definitions used, the median prevalence of chronic pain was 15%. The major studies on the epidemiology of non-specific pain, published 1997-2006, have also been summarised.2 After the exclusion of a few studies with exceptionally high or low prevalences, most reported overall prevalence for chronic pain in the general population as 17-29%.
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