297: Prevalence, perception, and pain management in a Mexican adult population: An observational study

Topic: Clinical Science
Subtopic: Non-specific to any diagnosis, Gender/sex differences, Assessment and Measurement of Pain/Nociception, Physiotherapy

Background and Aims: Persistent pain is a major public health problem with substantial functional, social, and economic impact and is a leading contributor to years lived with disability. In Mexico, limited evidence describes pain management from a physiotherapy perspective within primary care. This study aimed to describe the prevalence, characteristics, and coping strategies related to persistent pain in an adult population from Nuevo León, Mexico, and to examine differences according to age, sex, and functional limitation.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an electronic questionnaire distributed through social media. A total of 623 complete responses were collected. After applying eligibility and completeness criteria (age ≥18 years and complete mandatory variables: age, sex, pain intensity, and functional limitation), 560 surveys were included for analysis. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations were used to explore associations between sociodemographic variables and pain-related measures.

Results: Persistent pain was frequent in the analyzed population. No significant differences were observed in the presence of persistent pain across age groups, while pain intensity differed significantly by sex. Additionally, patterns in pain management resources varied according to the level of functional limitation, with changes in the use of physical activity, physiotherapy, and other coping strategies as functional interference increased.

Conclusions: Persistent pain represents a prevalent and clinically relevant condition in this Mexican adult population. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening physiotherapy-led pain management strategies in primary care, emphasizing pain education, promotion of dosed physical activity, early identification of functional interference, and clear referral pathways for more complex cases. These results support the development of structured care pathways to improve access and quality of pain management in primary care settings.

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Presenting Author: Raziel Eduardo Lugo Simon
Submitting Author: Raziel Eduardo Lugo Simon

Senior Author: Raziel Eduardo Lugo Simon

IASP 2026 Global Year theme of Neuropathic Pain: No