ST. LOUIS, April, 2019 — The chronic pain crisis is nationally recognized and locally magnified. Although sudden acute physical pain can be a life-saving alert, “chronic pain” is defined as maladaptive prolonged pain exceeding three months. According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one in five U.S. adults suffer from chronic pain, but certain groups suffer at disproportionately high rates, including but not limited to African Americans and low-income individuals.1 Gateway to Better Health, the St. Louis Regional Health Commission’s (RHC) coverage model that provides access to health care services for approximately 22,000 adults annually, has a patient population with rates of chronic pain greater than twice the national average. Read the full article in St. Louis Metropolitan Medicine.
Chronic Pain