DOLORA

ocial inequalities in health are now widely recognized as a public health issue in many countries. Inequalities between men and women, however, have been ignored for longer, and still need to be better defined, understood and measured. The influence of gender relates to the social construction of identities, i.e. to social relations between the sexes, and constitutes a risk factor for discrimination in the healthcare field. A complex, multimodal and subjective experience that can vary considerably from one person to another, pain is difficult to define and measure. It is emblematic of the differences, if not the inequalities, between men and women. The way in which it is experienced, reported and managed is influenced by both sex -biological- and gender -psycho-social- factors. There are numerous pain assessment tools, both generic and pathology-specific; based on visual, numerical or verbal scales; for newborns, children, adolescents, adults, the elderly, people with disabilities; self- or hetero-assessment. Nevertheless, despite the known differences in the way women and men experience and express pain, and the inequalities they engender, there is no chronic pain assessment tool designed for women. The current situation and state of knowledge argue in favor of women's health becoming a strong research focus within research and health organizations. To ensure that this concern includes the point of view of those directly concerned and their experiential knowledge, we propose to conduct participatory research on chronic pain in women. A better understanding of their pain, and of how it is felt and experienced on a daily basis, will enable us to tailor the care we offer to women. In terms of a scientific problem that is relevant to a major societal issue and oriented towards the search for solutions: the assessment of pain and the design of a tool that characterizes it in its multiple dimensions, taking into account gender through biopsychosocial interactions, appears to the consortium to be a central point of questioning and action. That's why our participative approach is essential, so that we can identify a precise problem and co-construct a suitable methodology to tackle it.