Chronic Pain Australia (CPA) welcomes the findings of the recent YouGov survey commissioned by Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA), which exposes a growing “participation gap” — revealing that 2 in 5 Australians struggle to return to work, study, or community life following injury or illness.
For people living with chronic pain, this participation gap is all too real. Pain and fatigue were identified in the survey as the biggest obstacles to returning to full participation — and these barriers mirror what we hear daily from our community.
When someone lives with persistent pain, the impacts extend far beyond physical symptoms. Pain can limit a person’s ability to engage in meaningful work, study, family life, and social activities. The survey also highlights the broader ripple effects: financial strain, loss of confidence, and social isolation.
So what needs to happen?
- Recognition: We must recognise chronic pain not only as a major participation issue, but as a wide reaching National Health Priority that requires systemic reform.
- Access: Allied health services such as occupational therapy play a crucial role in enabling people to stay engaged in life. The survey underscores how essential these supports are — and Chronic Pain Australia recognises the need for increased funding at the primary care level to improve access.
- Tailored support: For people with chronic pain, return-to-life plans should include modified roles, flexible workplaces, adjusted study loads, and accessible community participation.
- Investment: Governments, workplaces and education providers must invest in structures and services that enable participation despite chronic pain.
These survey findings strongly align with the call to action in Chronic Pain Australia’s landmark White Paper, Pain Takes a Nation: An Urgent Call for National Action on Chronic Pain. The White Paper urges the Federal Government to recognise chronic pain as a National Health Priority Area and to classify it as a condition in its own right, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Despite affecting 3.6 million Australians and costing the economy $139 billion annually — projected to rise to $215.6 billion by 2050 — chronic pain remains invisible in national health planning and funding frameworks.
Chronic Pain Australia Chairperson Nicolette Ellis said the findings from Occupational Therapy Australia strengthen the case for urgent reform:
“The OTA survey shows how pain and fatigue are keeping Australians out of work and life,” Ms Ellis said.
“Our White Paper outlines a clear roadmap for government action — to make chronic pain visible, prioritise early intervention, and build a health system that supports participation, not exclusion.”
At Chronic Pain Australia, we are committed to working with partners, peer support groups, carers and the wider community to reduce this participation gap.
If you’re living with chronic pain, you’re not alone — support is available, and together we can drive the change needed to make full participation possible.
Read the Whitepaper Pain Takes a Nation: An Urgent Call for National Action on Chronic Pain, or download the National Pain Report 2025 here.