More than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain caused by various diseases and disorders, and each year 25 million experience acute pain as a result of injury or surgery.

The South Carolina Pain Initiative (SCPI) goals are to:

- Educate health care providers, patients, their families and the public about pain prevention and relief
- Identify and eliminate myths and barriers to managing pain
- Advocate for improved public policy on pain related issues
- Provide better access to pain management programs

The Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care in partnership with the American Cancer Society, the South Carolina Cancer Alliance and others is actively pursuing these goals.

September Declared "Pain Awareness Month" in South Carolina

State Pain Survey Results Released, Outreach Activities Planned by SCPI

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A statewide survey commissioned by the South Carolina Pain Initiative (SCPI) and conducted by the USC Institute of Public Affairs in April 2007 found that over 1.2 million South Carolina adults experience mild to severe pain on at least a monthly basis. South Carolinians who experience pain...   >>more>>

The view the Pain Proclamation, Click Here

SC Pain Survey Results Available

In April 2007, the SC Pain Initiative worked with the USC Institute of Public Affairs to commission a statewide survey to determine the prevalence and impact of pain on South Carolinians. The survey was funded by grants from the American Cancer Society and the SC Cancer Alliance. To view the complete survey and an executive summary, click here

Executive Summary for the Public Awareness Survey

The South Carolina Pain Initiative asked a series of questions designed to identify the extent to which adults in the state experience pain and how they deal with such pain. Included in this survey were items on whether respondents experience pain; treatment by a health professional; satisfaction with treatment; barriers to... >>more>>.

Pain Policy Report Card-Pain and Policy Studies Group

To See how South Carolina was rated and how we compare to other states, Click Here

News
New Consensus Statement for Pain Management

The Boards of Nursing and Pharmacy have developed a joint statement on pain management. It states that the “South Carolina Boards of Nursing and Pharmacy concur with The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) guideline on pain management which declares that patients have the right to appropriate assessment and management of pain. The application of clinical knowledge and patient-centered treatment modalities improve the quality of life for patients who suffer from pain. All health care providers who treat pain, whether acute or chronic, should become knowledgeable about effective methods of pain management. The management of pain should include the utilization of both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic modalities”. To read the entire statement, visit to LLR site click here. The new policy will also be printed in the September issue of the Palmetto Nurse.

How do we measure up?

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's (ACS CAN) 2009 How do you Measure Up: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality shows that South Carolina is out of the red. The improvement from red to yellow is in respect to its Cancer Pain Management Policy and Practice. One of the improvement criteria requests that professional licensing boards adopt policies on pain management. South Carolina Boards of Nursing and Pharmacy recently developed a consensus statement on pain management and the Board of Medical Examiners adopted the newest version of the Federation of State Medical Boards pain management guidelines. Click here to see report.

House Overwhelmingly Votes in Favor of Legislation that Would Help Millions Cope with Chronic Pain

National Pain Care Bill calls for Increased Research, Education and Awareness of Pain Management Issues

WASHINGTON - March 30, 2009 - The House of Representatives passed a critical piece of bipartisan legislation today that would address the barriers and stigmas associated with pain management and will ultimately bring relief to millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain everyday. The National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009 (H.R. 756) would...

Click here to read the entire article.

Top Cancer Groups Announce State Pain Policies Evaluation Results

Eight US States Improve their Pain Policies in the Past Year Alone. In the second year of their joint program to promote better pain control, the American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Susan G. Komen for the Cure released the 2007 Pain and Policy Report Card of state-level pain management policies across the country. To read the full article, click here.

American Cancer Society Focuses on Pain

Each year, the American Cancer Society's cancer statistics publication, Cancer Facts & Figures, features a Special Section highlighting a particular aspect of cancer prevention, early detection or treatment. In 2007, the special section looks at cancer-related pain, describing types of pain and methods of pain assessment and treatment. It also addresses the issue of under treatment of cancer pain as well as... The full report can be viewed at www.cancer.org/statistics.

The Society also offers an I Can Cope online class on "Relieving Cancer Pain" to help educate cancer survivors and caregivers. This online tool discusses the facts about cancer pain, types of pain, and questions that survivors can ask their doctors. Participants will learn that treatments are available today to manage and greatly ease most pain, so that people with pain need not suffer. The online class is available on ACS’s web site at www.cancer.org/onlineclasses.
South Carolina Celebrates Pain Awareness Month

For the fifth consecutive year, September has been declared Pain Awareness Month in South Carolina. It is also Pain Awareness Month nationally. The proclamation acknowledges that unrelieved pain is a widespread and serious public health problem. The pain crisis not only has severe economic consequences for our state and country, but it also negatively affects...

Click here to read the entire article.

Resources

NEW VIDEO

The patient education video was developed to encourage patients to communicate with their doctors and nurses about their pain. The video includes English and Spanish versions, printable patient education materials and professional education modules for nurses.

The video package costs $159. For additional information, contact Shannon Johnson at: 843.709.5470

To view the video, click here. (it will take at least a few minutes to download)

Pain Management Tool-Kit Available: Pain and Dementia

To learn more about this tool-kit,
click here.

NEW FREE RESOURCE

Purdue Pharma New Pain Management Resource:
16 month Calendar: In the Face of Pain: Empowering Change Each month highlights a pain resources and included a quote from a pain advocates. Order one for yourself at www.partnersagainstpain.com



For more information on Alliance of State Pain Initiatives membership, Click here