Pain in Most Vulnerable
Welcome to the 2019 Global Year!
The 2019 Global Year Against Pain in the Most Vulnerable focuses on the following vulnerable populations:
- Pain in older persons (including pain in dementia)
- Pain in infants and young children
- Pain in individuals with cognitive impairments (non dementia-related) or psychiatric disorders
- Pain in survivors of torture
You will find publications, resources, and ways to participate in Global Year events on pain in vulnerable populations on this page and on the pages to which each domain is linked.
Read an updated message from IASP President Lars Arendt-Nielsen, Prof., Dr. Med, PhD
Read interviews with co-chairs Miriam Kunz, PhD and Patricia Schofield, PhD
Follow the #GYPainVulnerable conversation and IASP on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to learn about updates to this site.

Resources
- Aims and Objectives of the 2019 Global Year
- Collected articles from PAIN and PAIN Reports related to the 2019 Global Year
- 2019 Global Year Against Pain in the Most Vulnerable Webinar Series
- Drawings of My Pain, a useful book (English, Portuguese) based on a Portuguese art exhibition by pediatric patients expressing their pain experience for an APED-hosted contest at Day Hospital
- Management of Chronic Pain in Children and Young People Guidelines published by the Scottish Government.
- Read an interview with Thomas Hadjistavropoulos (Canada) on pain in dementia published on RELIEF.
“The Global Year has highlighted the tremendous expertise that we have around the world in these areas with our publications, webinars, and other events. It is now time to take up the gauntlet and rise to the challenge for all of the patients in our care, recognizing their individual needs and requirements.” – Patricia Schofield, PhD (United Kingdom), Global Year Co-chair
“It has been great to see all the support, effort, work and enormous interest with regard to the Global Year and its activities throughout the world in the last months. I feel that the Global Year is immensely contributing to a better awareness of pain in vulnerable individuals and to a better understanding of how to assess and manage pain in these individuals.” – Miriam Kunz, PhD (Germany), Global Year Co-chair
Global Year Task Force
Miriam Kunz, PhD (Germany), 2019 Global Year Co-chair
Patricia Schofield, PhD (United Kingdom), 2019 Global Year Co-chair
Amanda C de C Williams, PhD (United Kingdom)
Stephen Gibson, PhD (Australia)
Stefan Friedrichsdorf, MD (USA)
Ruth Defrin, PhD (Israel)
Zubaidah Jamil, PhD (Malaysia)
Liesbet Goubert, PhD (Belgium)
Aida Alayarian, PhD (United Kingdom)
Gisele Pickering, MD, PhD (France)
How to Participate
- Use this checklist as a guide to help you sponsor a meeting, symposium, or other event
- Bookmark the Global Year Calendar of Events
- Learn more about the spokespeople behind the 2019 Global Year
- Tell us about your upcoming Global Year activities
- Follow the #GYPainVulnerable conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to learn about new Global Year publications, resources, and activities
- Include the Global Year logo on your website, event flyers, announcements, social media posts, and other materials
- Add the Global Year signature to your email
- Join IASP!
Fact Sheets on Pain in the Most Vulnerable
Global Year Fact Sheets, prepared by top experts on various aspects of vulnerable populations, are available for free download. IASP owe special thanks to the scientists and clinicians who wrote and reviewed the Fact Sheets.
- Guidelines for the Management of Pain in Vulnerable Populations
- Drug Management for Vulnerable Individuals
Pain in older persons, including pain in dementia
- Pain Assessment in Dementia
- Pain Management in Dementia
- Pain in Older Adults
- Palliative Care for the Older Person in Pain
Pain in infants and children
- Pain Assessment in the Most Vulnerable Children
- Pain in Children: Management
- Palliative Pain Care in Children and Adolescents
Pain in individuals with cognitive impairments (non dementia-related) or psychiatric disorders
- Pain in Individuals with an Intellectual Disability: Scope of the Problem and Assessment Challenges
- Pain in Cognitive impairment, not Dementia-Related: Management
Pain in survivors of torture
Translated Fact Sheets
Check here periodically for Fact Sheets translated into various languages. We will post these as they become available. Please let us know if you would like to translate the Fact Sheets