How prevalent is chronic pain?

The prevalence of chronic pain among adults is reported to be about 17–20% in Australia^[1] and about 19% in Europe.^[2] However, given the diversity of painful conditions, it can be difficult to accurately estimate the prevalence of chronic pain. One review of 165 studies from 54 countries suggests that low back pain alone affects 11.9% of adults worldwide.^[3] These studies also note that older adults tend to experience more pain than younger adults.