India has been a country of medicines, healthcare, and holistic well-being. Ironically, per a recent report, 1 in every 3 individuals in India of age 45 or more suffers pain.
The research journal Pain claims that India’s national average pain prevalence is 37 percent for people of age 45 and more. Around 15 percent of individuals in this age group suffer pain for at least five days a week.
Not to miss, the pain prevalence is not static or similar throughout the country. Different states showcase different pain prevalence. For instance, Nagaland, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Puducherry, demonstrate the highest pain prevalence, while states like Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, and Mizoram showcased the lowest.
The report also talked about the proportion of the population who curb their everyday activities due to pain. The ratio ranged from 2.6 percent in Mizoram to 22 percent in Kerala and around 40 percent in West Bengal.
The leader of the study and the professor at the International Institute of Population Studies (IIPS), Mumbai stated that “Pain causes distress to people and imposes costs on households and the economy, but it hasn’t drawn as much attention in public health practice or research in India as it should have."
Mohanty and his collaborators generated the first-national and sub-national projections of pain prevalence, pain-related limits on everyday activities, and treatment levels.
According to the exercise, around 73 percent of pain victims were being treated. Among them, around 40 percent received oral or injectable medications while 40 percent applied topical painkillers at the site of pain. The others used physiotherapy or psychotherapy for pain relief.
The study did not throw light on the cause of pain.
“There is at present little information about pain management costs or the costs resulting from pain mismanagement,” expressed Mohanty. “The causes, the costs, the impact on quality of life and households are subjects of future research," he added.
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