RELIEF. Recovering Life Wellbeing through Pain Self-management Techniques Involving ICTs
Area: Health Sciences
PI: Hernández Encuentra, Eulàlia
Research group: PSINET - Psicologia, salut i xarxa
Project status: Open
Funding institution: European Commission
Dates: 2016-2019
eHC area of knowledge: Design and assessment of actions in digital health (eHealth) and mobile health (mHealth) and Education, empowerment and participation in health
Objectives: RELIEF aims to link European health procurers in order to create the innovative and sustainable solutions that will improve chronic pain control/relieve through ITC self-management techniques. Chronic pain diseases is costing to healthcare systems annually over €300bn in Europe; 1.5%-3% of GDP (gross domestic product).
Chronic pain entails a significant direct cost to healthcare systems. However, while direct costs are high, it has been estimated that nine-tenths of the burden of pain may fall on the broader society. Even small increases in the effectiveness of pain management reap large economic rewards. More than half of patients with acute or chronic pain are not well treated even though the existing therapeutic options have confirmed effective results.
eHealth solutions must achieve greater comparability between systems, patients and protocols, so as to reach more effective and efficient procedures. At present, there is a wide range of high-tech devices aimed at treating pain in its many facets and complexity. But it is still necessary to cover the gap between Research and Commercialization of new products and devices.