by ABC HEALTH for HALEON
The fifth edition of the Pain Barometer from Haleon, a leading company in Consumer Healthcare, confirms Spain as the country where talking about physical pain has fewer taboos and fewer prejudices.
Fear of stigma and social exclusion associated with physical pain are common experiences around the world. However, according to the fifth edition of the Haleon Pain Barometerleading company in Consumer Healthcare, Spain is confirmed as the country where talking about physical pain has fewer taboos and fewer prejudices.
The report, based on a survey conducted in 18 countries, reveals that 48% of people surveyed who suffered physical pain experienced some type of social stigmatization due to their medical condition. Despite these figures, Spain is at the top of the countries with the least perception of pain as taboowith a more open and tolerant approach compared to Germany (36%), France (38%), the United States (39%) and the United Kingdom (40%).
The study highlights that discrimination and exclusion are more frequent among those who already face prejudice. In Spain, 47% of women and 41% of men felt that their pain had been treated differently. Furthermore, there is a significant disparity in terms of race and sexual orientationwith 61% of black people and 57% of LGTBIQ+ people perceiving discrimination.
The generation gap is also evident: 69% of the Generation Z think their pain is treated differently, compared to 29% of baby boomers. Half of Generation Z (47%) consider talking about pain taboo, twenty percentage points more than the Baby Boomer generation.
Lack of communication about pain has serious consequences for emotional health and the report suggests that future generations are not finding an effective way to share their experiences of physical pain.
To address this problem, the document highlights the importance of strengthening the national health system.
Identifying people who suffer from pain is crucial, as 66% of Spanish respondents want to receive more social support when they experience pain. In this sense, pharmacists play a fundamental role by being seen as health experts to unsuspecting patients in situations that may be taboo in other settings.
listen to the pain
In Spain, only 20% of people surveyed had problems accessing direct care with pharmacy professionals, compared to other countries such as Canada (42%), Germany (43%) or the United Kingdom (53%).
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez LópezHead of Corporate Affairs at Haleon Spain, emphasizes the importance of empathy and active listening by pharmacists to create a safe space for patients facing pain, thus reducing the feeling of isolation and stigma.
Haleon has launched the ListenToPain initiative, which provides resources and educational materials to healthcare professionals to improve communication with patients and encourage conversations focused on pain.
Eliminating the stigma surrounding pain and improving health and inclusivity is an ongoing challenge. The ListenToPain initiative is a step forward, providing support and resources to change the narrative around physical pain and promote open and supportive communication.
