Pain Matters Magazine 79 Back Issue

We are thrilled to guest-edit this issue of Pain
Matters and provide a global perspective on
pain that has been co-created by people with
lived experience of pain, researchers, clinicians,
healthcare providers and educators.
The Global Alliance of Partners for Pain Advocacy
(GAPPA) was started by the International
Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) in 2018.
IASP is the leading global organisation supporting
the study and practice of pain and pain relief. IASP
brings together scientists, clinicians, healthcare
providers and policymakers from around the
world in pursuit of their mission to bring relief to
those who are in pain. With the creation of GAPPA,
people with lived experience of pain are now a part
of supporting IASP in achieving its goals.
The mission of GAPPA is to bring together patient
advocates, patient organizations, scientists,
clinicians, healthcare providers and policymakers
to create better outcomes in the awareness,
understanding, research, teaching, assessment
and management of pain throughout the world.
Its vision is to work together to improve the lives
of people affected by pain, through effective
and equitable integration of the lived pain
experience into all aspects of pain education for
all people around the world.

2021 is the Global Year about Back Pain, which GAPPA is
pleased to feature throughout this issue. Low back pain,
in particular, is an all-too-common global problem.
In 2017, it was estimated that low back pain affected
nearly 7.5% of the global population, or approximately
577 million people, and this number is only increasing
as the global population increases and ages.
In this issue we are honoured to share the perspectives
of people with lived experience of back pain. We
will debunk myths, explore self-management and
communication skills, discuss sex and gender
differences in back pain and share the latest on back
pain and COVID-19.