To the Editor:
We thank Drs. Ruan and Kaye for their comments1 on our paper2. The topic is important, so further debate over what chronic pain (CP) is helps to refine our thinking.
Voting was undertaken using a computerized, button-press system and the responses were therefore accurately recorded. Rather than being surprised at the 9% response rate that CP is a “disease,” we felt that the 31% who responded “none of the above” was more puzzling. On reflection, it may be that the cases presented around what CP actually is could have been stronger or that it was a relatively new concept to ask participants to change their existing opinion that CP is a symptom, to one that embraces pain as a disease, and hence participants were left …
Address correspondence to Dr. A.M. Taylor, Centre for Medical Education, Cardiff University, Heath Park Site, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK. E-mail:TaylorAM{at}cardiff.ac.uk
