Health Care in the digital age is becoming an increasingly popular tool for patient involvement, with notable results in areas such as medication adherence, chronic pain management, and patient safety. Given the rise in chronic pain diagnoses, it is critical to develop innovative technologies to improve care for this population.
Chronic pain is a growing medical condition that affects more than one-third of some populations. It is the greatest cause of disability worldwide, increases economic vulnerability, reduces quality of life, and is frequently related with both anxiety and mood disorders. Most recognized risk factors for chronic pain, such as advanced age, numerous co-morbid illnesses, smoking, and obesity, coincide with factors associated with greater severity of COVID-19 infection.
A wide spectrum of people with chronic pain diagnosis use advanced technology. The usage of various types of technology is linked to better chronic pain coping methods. Future research should look at the directional link between advanced health care tools and chronic pain coping abilities. As well as which health care components have the most impact on chronic pain management and other patient-centered outcomes.
Despite significant progress in the creation of innovative technologies and the discovery of therapeutic areas of benefit, the need of educating and training future health professionals to operate in an era of digital tools arises. This is in the best interest of avoiding future technological upheavals in the health sector.
On the other hand, the future of computer-aided chronic pain self-management may incorporate the use of electronic evaluation tools or sensors. However, these will most certainly be beneficial in assessing patient functioning or tracking adherence to medication schedules, but they may not reflect the complete experience of chronic pain treatment journeys. As a result, the development of chronic pain self-management software is still in its infancy. More research and testing are required. Patients’ participation is also required to encourage, educate, and train them.
