{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,21]],"date-time":"2026-07-21T02:40:16Z","timestamp":1784601616002,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773014400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pain Res."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Chronic pain is a long-term condition that affects the daily lives, identities, and well-being of millions of people worldwide. Effective pain care remains limited. Moreover, lack of knowledge and awareness among healthcare professionals and patients, combined with the invisibility of pain, often leads to disbelief, delayed diagnosis, prolonged suffering, and significant societal costs. Novel approaches are necessary to improve pain care, as most countries\u2019 healthcare systems are struggling to provide adequate support for persons living with chronic pain. This article highlights the importance of partnership in chronic pain management. We present examples from Sweden that demonstrate the benefits of stakeholder collaboration to improve pain care. Partnership between patients and healthcare professionals is a core element of person-centered care (PCC). We present PCC as a necessary strategy that combines ethical commitment with demonstrable clinical and economic benefits. We highlight the unique value of patient and public involvement (PPI) in pain research and innovation, where patients with lived experience can help researchers identify deficiencies in pain care and service provision, formulate relevant research questions, and develop projects that address real needs and priorities. Finally, we provide concrete examples of successful cooperation between patients, healthcare professionals, patient associations, and researchers in raising awareness of chronic pain and translating research findings into clinical practice. Collaboration among healthcare professionals, patient associations, and researchers is essential to make the best use of knowledge and lived experience to co-create and implement effective pain care, advance research, and raise awareness of chronic pain in healthcare and society.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpain.2026.1765233","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T06:48:38Z","timestamp":1773038918000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The importance of partnership in chronic pain \u2013 co-creation of tomorrow's pain care by working together in research, implementation, and knowledge dissemination"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"7","author":[{"given":"Paulin","family":"Andr\u00e9ll","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]},{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Birgit","family":"Heckemann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]},{"name":"Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Grimby-Ekman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gunilla","family":"G\u00f6ran","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Swedish Rheumatism Association","place":["Stockholm, Sweden"]},{"name":"The European Network of Fibromyalgia Associations","place":["Stockholm, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marie-Louise","family":"Olsson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"The Swedish National Association for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain","place":["V\u00e4stra Fr\u00f6lunda, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Roger","family":"Johansson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Patient Representative at Living Library [Levande Bibliotek]","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paula","family":"Forslund","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Patient Representative at Living Library [Levande Bibliotek]","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Axel","family":"Wolf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]},{"name":"Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]},{"name":"Institute of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo Metropolitan University","place":["Oslo, Norway"]},{"name":"University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC), Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg","place":["Gothenburg, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejpain.2005.06.009","article-title":"Survey of chronic pain in Europe: prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment","volume":"10","author":"Breivik","year":"2006","journal-title":"Eur J Pain"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e010364","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2015-010364","article-title":"Prevalence of chronic pain in the UK: a systematic review and meta-analysis of population studies","volume":"6","author":"Fayaz","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"656","DOI":"10.1093\/fampra\/cmx034","article-title":"Adverse impacts of chronic pain on health-related quality of life, work productivity, depression and anxiety in a community-based study","volume":"34","author":"Kawai","year":"2017","journal-title":"Fam Pract"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1873","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(25)01637-X","article-title":"Burden of 375 diseases and injuries, risk-attributable burden of 88 risk factors, and healthy life expectancy in 204 countries and territories, including 660 subnational locations, 1990\u20132023: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2023","volume":"406","year":"2025","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20240082","DOI":"10.1515\/sjpain-2024-0082","article-title":"An action plan: the Swedish healthcare pathway for adults with chronic pain","volume":"25","author":"Fischer","year":"2025","journal-title":"Scand J Pain"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"m2738","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.m2738","article-title":"Learning from Gothenburg model of person centred healthcare","volume":"370","author":"Britten","year":"2020","journal-title":"Br Med J"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e12385","DOI":"10.1111\/nup.12385","article-title":"What makes us human? Exploring the significance of ricoeur\u2019s ethical configuration of personhood between naturalism and phenomenology in health care","volume":"23","author":"Kristensson Uggla","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nurs Philos"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"248","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejcnurse.2011.06.008","article-title":"Person-centered care\u2013ready for prime time","volume":"10","author":"Ekman","year":"2011","journal-title":"Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e054386","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-054386","article-title":"A systematic review of impact of person-centred interventions for serious physical illness in terms of outcomes and costs","volume":"12","author":"Nkhoma","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1007\/s11897-025-00702-3","article-title":"Person-centred care: state-of-the-art and future perspectives","volume":"22","author":"Gyllensten","year":"2025","journal-title":"Curr Heart Fail Rep"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"852","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jval.2025.03.013","article-title":"Costs and health outcomes in economic evaluations of person-centered care: a systematic review","volume":"28","author":"Elhassan","year":"2025","journal-title":"Value Health"},{"key":"B12","article-title":"Towards State of the Science in Person-Centred Care. Report No.: Gothenburg Studies in Person-Centred Care; 2","author":"Wolf","year":"2024"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"677","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jval.2020.01.019","article-title":"Defining patient engagement in research: results of a systematic review and analysis: report of the ISPOR patient-centered special interest group","volume":"23","author":"Harrington","year":"2020","journal-title":"Value Health"},{"key":"B14","article-title":"Patient, Family Carer and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research \u2013 What, Why, and How: The University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-centred Care","year":""},{"key":"B15","volume-title":"WHO framework for Meaningful Engagement of People Living with Noncommunicable Diseases, and Mental Health and Neurological Conditions","year":"2023"},{"key":"B16","article-title":"WMA Declaration of Helsinki - Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Participants 2024","year":""},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e4767","DOI":"10.1002\/ejp.4767","article-title":"A pain research strategy for Europe: a European survey and position paper of the European pain federation EFIC","volume":"29","author":"Pickering","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur J Pain"},{"key":"B18","volume-title":"Spaces for Change? the Politics of Citizen Participation in New Democratic Arenas","author":"Cornwall","year":"2007"},{"key":"B19","article-title":"Swedish Patient Act (Patientlagen, SFS 2014:821)","year":""},{"key":"B20","article-title":"\u00d6verenskommelse mellan staten och Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner om god och n\u00e4ra v\u00e5rd 2024 \u2013 En personcentrerad och patients\u00e4ker h\u00e4lso-och sjukv\u00e5rdmed prim\u00e4rv\u00e5rden som nav","year":"2023"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-2600(21)00558-0","article-title":"Placing the patient\u2019s voice centre stage in 2022","volume":"10","year":"2022","journal-title":"Lancet Respir Med"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.2752\/175630615X14212498964312","article-title":"Experience-based co-design and healthcare improvement: realizing participatory design in the public sector","volume":"18","author":"Donetto","year":"2015","journal-title":"Design J"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e083215","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2023-083215","article-title":"Patient and public involvement in healthcare: a systematic mapping review of systematic reviews - identification of current research and possible directions for future research","volume":"14","author":"Bergholtz","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"B24","year":"2018"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/02687038.2021.1896870","article-title":"The ethics of patient and public involvement across the research process: towards partnership with people with aphasia","volume":"31","author":"Hersh","year":"2021","journal-title":"Aphasiology"},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.1007\/s40271-014-0065-0","article-title":"A systematic review of the impact of patient and public involvement on service users, researchers and communities","volume":"7","author":"Brett","year":"2014","journal-title":"Patient"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"400","DOI":"10.1093\/jmp\/jhad024","article-title":"Democratic justifications for patient public involvement and engagement in health research: an exploration of the theoretical debates and practical challenges","volume":"48","author":"Frith","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Med Philos"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3310\/hsdr03380","article-title":"ReseArch with Patient and Public invOlvement: a RealisT evaluation - the RAPPORT study","author":"Wilson","year":"2015"},{"key":"B29","article-title":"National Institute for Health Research","year":"2014"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1186\/1748-5908-9-24","article-title":"Involving patients in setting priorities for healthcare improvement: a cluster randomized trial","volume":"9","author":"Boivin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Implement Sci"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"637","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1369-7625.2012.00795.x","article-title":"Mapping the impact of patient and public involvement on health and social care research: a systematic review","volume":"17","author":"Brett","year":"2014","journal-title":"Health Expect"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1208","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healthpol.2021.07.008","article-title":"The impact of patient and public involvement in health research versus healthcare: a scoping review of reviews","volume":"125","author":"Modigh","year":"2021","journal-title":"Health Policy"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1093\/fampra\/cmw097","article-title":"Tokenism in patient engagement","volume":"34","author":"Hahn","year":"2017","journal-title":"Fam Pract"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"270","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2018.00270","article-title":"EUPATI Guidance for patient involvement in medicines research and development (R&D); guidance for pharmaceutical industry-led medicines R&D","volume":"5","author":"Warner","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front Med (Lausanne)"},{"key":"B35","article-title":"The Societal Impact of Pain Sweden: Swedish Pain Society","year":""},{"key":"B36","article-title":"The Societal Impact of Pain Europe: European Pain Federation","year":""},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1080\/24740527.2021.1889925","article-title":"Attending work with chronic pain is associated with higher levels of psychosocial stress","volume":"5","author":"Adams","year":"2021","journal-title":"Can J Pain"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejpain.2011.07.006","article-title":"Socio-economic burden of patients with a diagnosis related to chronic pain\u2013register data of 840,000 Swedish patients","volume":"16","author":"Gustavsson","year":"2012","journal-title":"Eur J Pain"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e026855","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2018-026855","article-title":"Health-related quality of life among frequent attenders in Swedish primary care: a cross-sectional observational study","volume":"9","author":"Strombom","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0312478","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0312478","article-title":"Have my back as I get back to work-experiences of stakeholder support in returning to work after sick leave due to chronic pain: a qualitative interview study","volume":"19","author":"Lundin","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e066617","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2022-066617","article-title":"Suffering out of sight but not out of mind - interpreting experiences of sick leave due to chronic pain in a community setting: a qualitative study","volume":"13","author":"Lundin","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"736","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2020.1780479","article-title":"Factors of importance for return to work, experienced by patients with chronic pain that have completed a multimodal rehabilitation program - a focus group study","volume":"44","author":"Svanholm","year":"2022","journal-title":"Disabil Rehabil"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1192","DOI":"10.1097\/PR9.0000000000001192","article-title":"Integrated manual therapies: IASP taskforce viewpoint","volume":"9","author":"Draper-Rodi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Pain Rep"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Pain Research"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpain.2026.1765233\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T06:48:39Z","timestamp":1773038919000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpain.2026.1765233\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]]},"references-count":43,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpain.2026.1765233"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpain.2026.1765233","relation":{},"ISSN":["2673-561X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2673-561X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]]},"article-number":"1765233"}}