This masterclass explores the complex and often overlooked social and psychological dimensions of pain. Drawing on the latest global research, it reveals how social factors—including income, employment, education, discrimination, and exclusion—profoundly shape pain experiences. With chronic pain now recognised as a pressing public health issue, this session offers healthcare professionals a fresh, interdisciplinary framework that moves beyond biology. Attendees will gain insight into how psychosocial challenges, emotional distress, and structural disadvantage contribute to pain—informing more compassionate, inclusive, and effective care.
Grounded in national guidance promoting personalised care and non-pharmacological interventions (e.g., NICE guidelines, NHS Long Term Plan), the course emphasises person-centred and evidence-based strategies. Topics include the relationship between pain and mental health, the role of stigma and adversity, and the promise of social prescribing and community engagement. Real-world examples and practical tools will support attendees to recognise social determinants in clinical encounters and design more holistic management plans. This is a must-attend session for those committed to improving pain outcomes through a biopsychosocial lens—and ensuring health services are better aligned with patients’ lived realities.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Health professionals aiming to apply science-based pain management strategies in clinical practice.
KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES
By attending this workshop leaners will:
Identify key social and economic determinants of pain, including how employment status, income inequality, education, and material hardship influence pain experiences across populations.
Understand the connections between chronic pain, mental health conditions (such as anxiety and depression), and structural inequalities including racism, sexism, and poverty.
Describe the emotional components of pain and discuss how emotions such as fear, anger, and sadness can intensify or maintain physical symptoms.
Analyse how stigma, social exclusion, and adverse life experiences shape pain expression, diagnosis, and access to treatment.
Evaluate the role of social prescribing and community-based interventions in modern pain management, particularly for underserved or marginalised populations.
Apply evidence-based, person-centred strategies to support holistic pain management in clinical and community settings, aligned with national policy and guidance.
Critically reflect on traditional biomedical approaches to pain and propose integrated psychological and social strategies for more effective and humane care.
