Job and the stigmatization of chronic pain

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine
Daniel S Goldberg

Abstract

Many ethical and policy analyses of the devastating undertreatment of chronic pain leave unaddressed the role played by stigma, even though the notion that such stigma exists is well documented. This article examines the social and cultural roots of the stigma of chronic pain in American society. I document the long history of illness stigma in Western societies as a way of illustrating the power of this meaning-making construct, and I use the Book of Job as a framework for understanding the deep link between sin and suffering in the context of illness and chronic pain in the United States. Unfortunately, while illness stigma can be ameliorated, there is little evidence of such progress in the undertreatment and stigmatization of chronic pain sufferers, and I explain some of the reasons why the best evidence does not demonstrate much improvement. I conclude by sketching some recommendations for diminishing the stigmatization of the chronic pain sufferer, and warn that the focus on altering the opioid regulatory regime is unlikely to have the desired impact in reducing the suffering of millions of Americans.

Citations

Nov 26, 2010·The American Journal of Bioethics : AJOB·Daniel S Goldberg
Feb 22, 2011·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Michael E Schatman
Oct 8, 2014·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Summer McGee, Ross D Silverman
Oct 4, 2014·Pain Medicine : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine·Olivia Charlotte Twigg, Donald Glenn Byrne
Jul 31, 2012·The American Journal of Medicine·Daniel S Goldberg
Aug 9, 2011·The Journal of Pain : Official Journal of the American Pain Society·Melissa A WrightFrancis J Keefe
Feb 7, 2012·Pain Practice : the Official Journal of World Institute of Pain·Donald D McGearyRobert J Gatchel
Oct 31, 2013·Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners·Diane B Monsivais
Jul 27, 2011·The American Journal of Medicine·Daniel S Goldberg
Jul 19, 2016·Academic Radiology·Richard B Gunderman, Brian D Fogler
Dec 23, 2016·Journal of Bioethical Inquiry·Daniel Z BuchmanDaniel S Goldberg
Jun 21, 2012·Journal of Holistic Nursing : Official Journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association·Diane B Monsivais, Joan C Engebretson
Feb 20, 2014·The Journal of Pain : Official Journal of the American Pain Society·Olivia C WaughMichael K Nicholas
Sep 7, 2017·The Clinical Journal of Pain·Sarah R MartinCarlton Dampier
Feb 10, 2016·Pain·Lies De Ruddere, Kenneth D Craig
Jan 7, 2016·The Clinical Journal of Pain·Melanie NoelTonya M Palermo
Dec 16, 2020·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·Magdalena NowakowskaEvangelos Kontopantelis
Oct 7, 2021·Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine : PEHM·Mar Rosàs Tosas
Apr 28, 2011·Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care

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