Shocking data reveals a North-South ‘pain divide’ exists in England.
Up to 43 per cent of those living in the north experience pain that lasts more than three months, which is 38 per cent more than London residents, a study found today.
Northerners are also 32 per cent more likely to experience ‘severely limiting’ discomfort that affects their day-to-day lives than their southern counterparts.
In addition, the controversial painkiller opioids are 38 per cent more likely to be prescribed up north despite little evidence they work long term and fears of an upcoming ‘opioid epidemic’ like the one that has struck the US.
Opioids, which often lead to addicts experimenting with illegal drugs such as heroin, have caused more deaths by accidental overdose than any medication in US history, leading to President Trump declaring a national public health emergency last October.
Map shows the prevalence of chronic pain, which lasts more than three months, in different regions of England. In the North East, more than 40 per cent of people endure ongoing discomfort compared to between 11 and 20 per cent of London residents
Scientists from Newcastle University analysed data from a 2011 survey carried out by the National Centre for Social Research.
The survey asked 5,711 participants whether they were experiencing pain and, if so, if it had persisted for more than three months, which was classed as chronic. They were then asked to rate their pain on a scale of one-to-10.
The researchers then graded the participants’ pain from zero to four, with the latter being defined as ‘severely limiting’ discomfort.
Any opioid use was also recorded in the survey.
The North of England was defined as the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber regions.
London, East of England, West Midlands, East Midlands, South East and South West regions made up the South of the country.
Northerners are also 32 per cent more likely to experience ‘severely limiting’ discomfort, which may include back ache, that affects their day-to-day lives (stock)
Results, published in the BMJ Open, suggest chronic pain is worst in the North East, where 43.1 per cent of residents suffer, compared to the lowest prevalence of just 29 per cent in London.
On average, 36.7 per cent of those living up north experience chronic pain versus 35 per cent of southerners.
Northerners are also 32 per cent more likely to experience ‘severely limiting’ pain than southerners and are 37 per cent more at risk of pain that ‘moderately’ affects their day-to-day lives.
Findings further suggest opioids are 38 per cent more likely to be prescribed to manage pain in the north, with severe sufferers being 47 per cent more likely to rely on the medication.
Rather than putting opioid use down to inappropriate prescribing, the researchers concluded the drugs are likely more widely used up north due to there being a greater need for pain relief.
This need may be due to certain conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease, being more prevalent in the north of England.
Despite northerners reportedly needing greater pain relief than their southern counterparts, the scientists stress opioids should be carefully prescribed to avoid the epidemic that is occurring in the US.
The death rate from opioid misuse has quadrupled over the past 15 years in the states.
Failure to change prescription habits could also worsen pain prevalence. This is due to evidence suggesting opioids relieve short-term discomfort but could make pain worse if used on an ongoing basis.
Chronic pain already costs the UK economy around £12 billion a year.
Lead author Dr Adam Todd said: ‘To develop future strategies going forward, and avoid a potential “opioid epidemic”, as observed in the USA, it is important that consideration is given to other ways of managing chronic pain.
‘Given our findings, more needs to be done – at a national level – to support prescribers to manage people who have chronic pain, without the need to initiate opioid analgesics.’
IS THE OPIOID CRISIS THIS GENERATION’S AIDS EPIDEMIC?
The last time the US saw an epidemic on this scale was with AIDs in the 1980s and 90s.
Dr Robert Redfield Jr, a virologist and physician, was one of the top researchers on AIDs when the epidemic was emerging.
He made several references to similarities between the AIDS epidemic and today’s opioid crisis both in scale and with the surrounding stigma.
He said that the AIDS epidemic is expected to be brought to an end in the next three to seven years, which was possibly meant to convey hope for an end to the opioid crisis as well.
However, there are several key differences between the AIDS and opioid epidemics.
The AIDS epidemic primarily affected a small subset of the population, gay men, whereas the opioid epidemic has been devastating across demographics from blue collar workers in suburban areas to affluent college students.
The opioid epidemic has also been more deadly thus far.
At the peak of the AIDS epidemic in 1995 there were 51,000 deaths by the disease.
There’s no telling when we’ll reach the peak of the opioid epidemic, but in 2015 and 2016 the death toll surpassed the number from 1995 at 52,000 and 64,000.
Treating opioid addiction and preventing overdose is also much less straight-forward because unlike AIDS, opioid use is not a virus that can be vaccinated for, and handing out items such as clean needles and condoms can’t stop it.
Instead, researchers are treating the opioid use as a ‘social contagion’ that spreads through family and friends who have been prescribed opioids.