Research

Research work in the collaboration is focused around the five groups in the collaboration which have pain as one of their principal areas of research:

• The Epidemiology group is the largest group in the collaboration and has a well-established and internationally recognised programme of research on the descriptive epidemiology of pain, lifecourse influences on the occurrence of chronic pain in adults, pain in special groups (older age, residents in rural settings), and understanding biological mechanisms (including genetics) of pain. One of its principal aims is that the results from the epidemiological studies conducted inform patient management. It therefore undertakes randomised controlled trial and other studies of management of pain in primary and secondary care.

• The Centre of Academic Primary Care has research interests around the occurrence, assessment and management of chronic pain in the community and in primary care with a focus on pharmacist-led management in primary care.

• The Dental Group of the Aberdeen Pain Research Collaboration is based within the Aberdeen Dental School and has research interests in orofacial pain, and pain in head and neck cancer patients.

• Pain physicians of NHS Grampian based at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary contribute to the Pain Medicine Group of the Aberdeen Pain Research Collaboration. Their research interests include neuropathic pain, low back pain particularly facet joint pain and opioids in non-malignant pain.