Making Sense of Data : Translating complexity for improved chronic pain management

Chronic pain is recognised as a complex and challenging condition. In Scotland alone, over 800,000 people are affected by chronic pain to varying degrees [1]. The experience of living with, and delivering treatment and care for chronic pain therefore requires a management strategy that responds effectively within a complex context. Management strategies should be interdisciplinary and take into account the many stakeholders involved, including the person experiencing chronic pain. This paper outlines the role for visualisation and machine learning to support people to make sense of data and enable the translation of the complexity around chronic pain towards better management, and in particular self-management.