[Chronic pain and society : Sociological analysis of a complex interconnection].

The current debate about the interconnection between chronic pain and society is economically narrowed. This involves the threat of losing sight of the fact that the interconnection between society and chronic pain is a complex entanglement that goes beyond economic costs. This article addresses the mentioned entanglement by acknowledging the following four levels of society: (1) the social structure, (2) the way of life, with special reference to occupation and its counterpart, leisure time, (3) the (normative) interpretation patterns of chronic pain and (4) the treatment situation. The applied sociological perspective shows that society, and this also includes medicine, is more than a mere addressee of problems. Society has to be considered as an influencing factor with respect to the development and stabilization of chronic pain. The outlined broadening of the perspective should contribute to a better understanding of the societal impact on chronic pain in order to stimulate an improvement in care and possibly a long-term reduction in costs.