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The following is a summary of “Status and Opportunities for Improvement in Pain Education in Europe: A European Pain Federation EFIC Multiple-Methods Study,” published in the May 2025 issue of European Journal of Pain by Skidmore et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the status of undergraduate and postgraduate pain education for nurses, physicians, psychologists, and physiotherapists across Europe, specifying strategies to improve training and healthcare outcomes. 

They carried out a study using multiple methods, which included a scoping review, an online survey of educators, and qualitative interviews with EFIC chapters and professional educational bodies. 

The results showed that the scoping review of 11 studies revealed a lack of evidence, with notable variability in hours dedicated to pain training and inconsistencies in content, teaching, and assessment methods across European curricula. The survey of educators (n = 511) indicated variability in pain education coverage, with psychology curricula particularly underrepresented compared to more structured programs in medicine and physiotherapy. The interviews identified curriculum constraints, limited resources, and a shortage of specialized staff as major barriers and emphasized the need for integrating pain education across all disciplines through international and interdisciplinary collaboration to improve training efforts. 

Notably, the findings highlighted that pain-related conditions such as migraine—a prevalent and disabling headache disorder—are often insufficiently addressed in training programs, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced education on chronic pain management. 

Investigators concluded that substantial disparities existed in the comprehensiveness, uniformity, and provision of pain education for both undergraduate and postgraduate health professionals throughout Europe. 

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejp.70025