Map of Pain Education in Latin America: Current State and Perspectives

Abstract

The Latin American Map of Pain Education initiative has developed steadily in recent years. A recent survey yields important new data on the current state and allows outlining of the next steps to improve pain education in Latin American countries. A survey conducted by Federación Latinoamericana de Asociaciones para el Estudio del Dolor (FEDELAT) with data from 19 Latin American countries showed that a generally observed barrier is the lack of adequately trained pain professionals and the insufficient number of pain centers. There is a need for formal programs of pain education and palliative care in undergraduate and graduate programs. These programs should be accessible not only to physicians but to all types of healthcare professionals involved in the management of pain patients. The article includes some recommendations that will certainly be helpful in improving pain education over the next decade in Latin America.

Keywords::

• healthcare professionals
• Latin America countries
• map of pain education
• pain education programs
• pain medicines

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The work was funded by FEDELAT and Grünenthal LATAM. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Medical writing support was provided by Content Ed Net and was funded by FEDELAT and Grünenthal LATAM.

Additional information

Funding

The work was funded by FEDELAT and Grünenthal LATAM. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Medical writing support was provided by Content Ed Net and was funded by FEDELAT and Grünenthal LATAM.