Study launched to improve chronic pain inequality

Southampton resident Andre Fergus suffers with chronic pain

A new project will address findings that black people in Southampton experience higher rates of chronic pain than other groups.

Researchers from the University of Southampton said they were also less likely to access NHS services.

They are now leading a new study urging people to talk about their experiences in a bid to improve healthcare.

The project, funded by national charity Versus Arthritis, will cost £500,000 and run for three years.

According to report by the charity, 44% of black people in England live with chronic pain compared with 34% of white people.

The interdisciplinary research team plans to interview participants to hear their experiences of pain and understand why many face barriers to care.

Southampton resident Andre Fergus suffers with chronic pain and said a lot of people in his community saw it as "something they need to deal with and get on with".

He said: "There's been a number of times when I've alerted my GP and surgery and their response has always been to give me perhaps more pain medication as opposed to sending me for a scan or some kind of other intervention from the hospital.

"I think a lot of people that have not come from this community have found it much easier to access these services."

'Trusted and effective'

Professor Tamar Pincus is a psychologist who specialises in supporting people living with pain.

"Prior research showed a clear disparity in health for Black residents in our city, often compounded by poverty, poor housing, and unemployment, which are known to make living with chronic pain more difficult," she said.

"This new project is about moving from research to action, working directly with our community to create a plan which is culturally sensitive, trusted, and effective.

"We want to address reports that this community feels 'less served' by health services and use less than what is offered."

The project builds on a recent pilot study, also led by Prof Pincus, called De-Stress Pain.

It focused on improving wellbeing by shifting attention away from pain and toward activities like book clubs, photography and music.