Pain Medication's Negative Side Effects Don't Deter Most Users, Survey Reveals

Most people believe the reward is greater than the risk when it comes to pain medications with health risks, according to a new survey by morefocus.

Carlsbad, Calif. (PRWEB) October 17, 2006 -- Most people do not stop taking pain medication when studies reveal potential negative side effects of the medication, according to an independent study conducted by morefocus, an online research organization.

Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said they had not stopped taking pain medication after hearing that it could pose health risks. Some respondents remained unsure of whether to make changes to their pain management techniques, but only 20 percent of respondents stopped taking the pain medication.

"The research shows that most people do not react strongly to the possibility of complications from medications," said Dr. Regan Carey, morefocus Research Director. "It seems most people believe the risk is not greater than the reward."

The survey also revealed some interesting information about people's attitudes towards the use of pain medication. Sixty-four percent of those surveyed believe that the availability of pain medication keeps people from seeking alternative pain management techniques such as massage, meditation, acupuncture and other methods.

This attitude is reflected in the further opinions of those who stopped taking a pain medication that posed health risks. Of that group, more than half said they would switch to another pain medication, while only 25 percent said they would look into alternative pain management methods.

"People are definitely inclined to use medication first," said Dr. Carey. "Even the minority who are scared off by health risks of one drug tend to look around for a different one. It seems that while meditation, massage, and those types of techniques are more common today, most people still turn to medication to relieve their pain."

The morefocus survey was commissioned by the publication About-Pain-Management.com. Further information and summary results of the survey are available on request from morefocus.

About morefocus
San Diego-based morefocus has developed one of the Internet's leading healthcare and lifestyle networks that is applied to reach, inform and engage consumer and professional audiences. Through a suite of proprietary applications, morefocus builds large-scale consumer panels enabling online marketers to reach micro-segmented audiences. For more information, or to join a panel, please visit morefocused.com.

Media Contact
Erin Capellman
morefocus
781-839-2818