Pain in society
Chronic pain is the third largest cause of illness related disability for New Zealanders. The prevalence of chronic pain makes it a major health issue and a critical public health problem internationally in terms of disability adjusted life years. Chronic pain creates a health care cost burden, loss of productivity in the workplace, and has a significant impact on daily wellbeing.
Goals and objectives of Pain at Otago
The goals of the Pain at Otago research theme include:
- Strengthening pain research within the community of researchers at the University of Otago by facilitating their basic and translational (clinical and epidemiological) research
- Fostering collaborative research between disciplines both within and beyond the University in order to promote world-class pain research
- Facilitating the acquisition of external research funding in the broader field of pain research
- Assisting engagement with stakeholders through community-based activities