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A new project has been launched in Southampton to tackle significant health inequalities affecting the city's Black community.
It follows research showing that Black residents report higher rates of chronic pain than other groups and are less likely to access NHS services.
A research team from the universities of Southampton and Keele, who are working with the NHS, are urging people to talk about their personal experiences of pain.
The three-year project is funded by national charity Versus Arthritis .
Professor Tamar Pincus , a psychologist from the University of Southampton, specialises in supporting people living with pain.
She said: "Prior research showed a clear disparity in health for Black residents in our city, often compounded by poverty, poor housing, and unemployment, which are known to make living with chronic pain more difficult.
"This new project is about moving from research to action, working directly with our community to create a plan which is culturally sensitive, trusted and effective.
"We want to address reports that this community feels 'less served' by health services and use less than what is offered."
According to a Versus Arthritis report , 44 per cent of Black people in England live with chronic pain compared with 34 per cent of those who are white.
Southampton resident André Fergus, 51, has been living with chronic pain for more than a decade and recently joined the project team.
He said: "When you're in constant pain, you just push it to one side, and it becomes part of your daily life. But it doesn't have to be that way.
"I'm getting involved in this project to lead by example. I want to show other people that the support is out there and that pain isn't something you have to manage yourself."
The interdisciplinary research team aims to speak to participants to hear their experiences of pain and understand why many face barriers to care.
They plan to refine the support developed in an earlier study, named De-Stress Pain , led by Prof Pincus and Prof Carolyn Chew-Graham from Keele University .
It focused on improving wellbeing by shifting attention away from pain and toward "enjoyable" activities like book clubs, photography and music, said Prof Pincus.
She added: "This intervention we tested helped people manage their pain, improve their mood, and increase their engagement with activities they enjoy.
"In the follow-up project, we will work with our Black communities in Southampton to ensure their needs are met so we can provide recommendations that will inform healthcare providers across the UK on how to better serve under-represented groups."
More than half a million pounds of funding has been provided by Versus Arthritis to launch the project in Southampton.
Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Versus Arthritis , said: "Too many people still face unacceptable delays, barriers and inequalities in their journey through the healthcare system. This must change.
"That's why we are really proud to be investing in this next stage of the De-Stress project, as part of our Living Well Funding Call, which focuses on reaching those whose needs have been traditionally overlooked.
"By providing funding we can make sure the voices and experiences of Black residents in Southampton are at the heart of care.
"This project also addresses a critical gap in chronic pain research and is a big step towards developing more equitable pain management plans that can be implemented not just in Southampton but across the UK."
The project team includes the University of Southampton and Keele University , LifeLab , Versus Arthritis , Cathy Price, Callum Dixon and Ophelia Watson from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust , and contributors from Southampton's Black communities Pamela Permalloo Bass , André Fergus and Tecla Hlupe.
To get involved go to www.destress-study.co.uk .
Top image caption: (Back row, left to right) Cathy Price, Lucy Green, Ophelia Watson, Adam Geraghty, Kath Woods-Townsend, Jo Williams, Pamela Permalloo Bass, Callum Dixon, Tecla Hlupe, Holli
