The individual and societal burden of chronic pain in Europe: the case for strategic prioritisation and action to improve knowledge and availability of appropriate care

Table 2 Recent studies on economic impact of chronic pain and conditions with which it is associated

Country (pricing year)	Ireland (2008) [30]	Sweden (2008) [43]	Denmark (2010) [41]	United States (2010) [42]
Data source	Postal survey	National and regional healthcare administrative registries	National administrative healthcare registries	Medical Expenditure Panel Survey
Pain definition	Chronic pain and conditions it	Diagnoses related to chronic pain	Pain-intensive diagnoses (n = 1,918,823)	Pain limiting ability to work; diagnoses of joint pain or arthritis; disability limiting ability to work (n = 20,214)
Pain definition	features (n = 140)	(n = 837,896)	Pain-intensive diagnoses (n = 1,918,823)
Total cost/patient/year	€5,665	€6,429	Healthcare costs: DKK34,784–208,830/year (depending on condition), 2010	ND
Type of cost (% of total)	Direct healthcare: 52%	Direct healthcare: 41%	Direct healthcare: 71%	Direct healthcare: 47%
Type of cost (% of total)	Indirect: 48%	Indirect: 59%	Indirect: 29%	Indirect: 53%
National cost estimate/year	€5.34 billion	€32 billion	DKK17.8 billion	$560–635 billion
National cost estimate/year	~3% of GDP	~10% of GDP	DKK17.8 billion	~4% of GDP^a

GDP, gross domestic product; PRIME, Prevalence, Impact and Cost of Chronic Pain; ND, no data.
^aNot in original publication. Assumes US GDP in 2010 of US$14.4 trillion [48]).

ISSN: 1471-2458