Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach (Coursera)

Preventing Chronic Pain: A Human Systems Approach (Coursera)

Chronic pain is at epidemic levels and has become the highest-cost condition in health care. This course uses both creative and experiential learning to better understand chronic pain conditions and how they can be prevented through self-management in our cognitive, behavioral, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental realms.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

The goal of this course is to blend creative, experiential, and evidence-based teaching strategies to help participants understand chronic pain conditions and how a human systems approach can be applied to self-management strategies to reduce risk factors, enhance protective factors, and prevent chronic pain. There are four major objectives to the course;

  1. Describe the prevalence, personal impact, and health care dilemma associated with chronic pain.
  2. Recognize the clinical characteristics and underlying etiology of several common pain conditions and the peripheral, central, and genetic mechanisms of chronic pain
  3. Based on the literature associated with risk and protective factors in the seven realms of our lives, learn specific strategies in each realm that can be employed daily to prevent chronic pain and enhance wellness.
  4. Appreciate the value of a human systems approach to health care and how it can provide a basis for integrative, interdisciplinary, and individualized care to preventing pain and enhancing wellness.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Introduction to the Course
In this first module, we will introduce you to the course and present an overview of the topics to be discussed and format of the course. We will also present information about receiving Continuing Education, joining the International Myopain Society, and supporting the Campaign for Preventing Chronic Pain

WEEK 2
The Problem of Chronic Pain

WEEK 3
Common Pain Conditions and their Mechanisms

WEEK 4
Common Pain Conditions and their Mechanisms

WEEK 5
Common Pain Conditions and their Mechanisms

WEEK 6
Risk and Protective Factors in the Seven Realms

WEEK 7
Risk and Protective Factors in the Seven Realms

WEEK 8
Risk and Protective Factors in the Seven Realms

WEEK 9
Risk and Protective Factors in the Seven Realms

WEEK 10
Implementing Transformative Care

Suggested Reading: The Last Scroll

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Psychology of Popularity (Coursera) Coursera
University of North Carolina

Psychology of Popularity (Coursera)

The level of popularity you experienced in childhood and adolescence is still affecting you today in ways that you may not even realize. Learn about how psychologists study popularity and how these same concepts can be used in adulthood to be more successful at work, become better parents, and have a happier life.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health (Coursera) Coursera
University of North Carolina

Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health (Coursera)

Often called “the cornerstone” of public health, epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of diseases, health conditions, or events among populations and the application of that study to control health problems. By applying the concepts learned in this course to current public health problems and issues, students will understand the practice of epidemiology as it relates to real life and makes for a better appreciation of public health programs and policies. This course explores public health issues like cardiovascular and infectious diseases – both locally and globally – through the lens of epidemiology.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Medical Cannabis for Pain Control (Coursera) Coursera
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Medical Cannabis for Pain Control (Coursera)

Cannabis is a group of flowering plants that has been long used for industrial, recreational and medical purposes. When relating to its medical use, the terms "Medical Cannabis" or "Medical marijuana" has become prevalent. In this course we will use the term "Medical Cannabis". Nowadays, Medical Cannabis involves multiple medical disciplines such as neuroscience, pain, pharmacology, oncology, psychiatry and more. Moreover, it has cultural, agricultural and social, legal and political implications.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Career 911: Your Future Job in Medicine and Healthcare (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

Career 911: Your Future Job in Medicine and Healthcare (Coursera)

This course aims to help high school students, recent graduates, and those considering career transitions explore health care career options and learn strategies for entry into the health care workforce and health related fields. There are lots of amazing job opportunities in medicine and healthcare! Join us, as we share the strategies and secrets for getting those jobs.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment (Coursera) Coursera
Indian School of Business - ISB

A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment (Coursera)

What are the determinants of a happy and fulfilling life? This is surely one of life’s biggest questions, and a question that has interested many of our ancestors. Buddha famously gave up his kingdom in search of happiness. Several Greek philosophers (from Aristotle to Epicurus and Plato to Socrates) had their own views on what it takes to be happy. And of course, we all have our own theories about happiness too.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Training and Learning Programs for Volunteer Community Health Workers (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Training and Learning Programs for Volunteer Community Health Workers (Coursera)

Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) are a major strategy for increasing access to and coverage of basic health interventions. Our village health worker training course reviews the process of training and continuing education of CHWs as an important component of involving communities in their own health service delivery. Participants will be guided through the steps of planning training and continuing education activities for village volunteers. The course draws on real-life examples from community-directed onchocerciasis control, village health worker programs, community case management efforts, peer educators programs and patent medicine vendor training programs, to name a few.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Medical Neuroscience (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

Medical Neuroscience (Coursera)

Medical Neuroscience explores the functional organization and neurophysiology of the human central nervous system, while providing a neurobiological framework for understanding human behavior. In this course, you will discover the organization of the neural systems in the brain and spinal cord that mediate sensation, motivate bodily action, and integrate sensorimotor signals with memory, emotion and related faculties of cognition. The overall goal of this course is to provide the foundation for understanding the impairments of sensation, action and cognition that accompany injury, disease or dysfunction in the central nervous system. The course will build upon knowledge acquired through prior studies of cell and molecular biology, general physiology and human anatomy, as we focus primarily on the central nervous system.

Sep 14th 2026
13-24 Weeks
Case Studies in Personalized Medicine (Coursera) Coursera
Vanderbilt University

Case Studies in Personalized Medicine (Coursera)

Learn how advances in biomedicine hold the potential to revolutionize drug development, drug treatments, and disease prevention: where are we now, and what does the future hold? This course will present short primers in genetics and mechanisms underlying variability in drug responses. A series of case studies will be used to illustrate principles of how genetics are being brought to bear on refining diagnoses and on personalizing treatment in rare and common diseases. The ethical and operational issues around how to implement large scale genomic sequencing in clinical practice will be addressed.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Biochemical Principles of Energy Metabolism (Coursera) Coursera
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - KAIST

Biochemical Principles of Energy Metabolism (Coursera)

Everyone knows that energy is essential for sustaining life. How can you define energy in life? Have ever thought about ways of how carbohydrates like glucose from your diet can be used for extracting energy? A scientific field that focuses on energy production and flow though living cells and organisms is called bioenergetics. Energy metabolism covers various biochemical ways of energy transformation and regulatory mechanisms of over thousands chemical reactions. Without fine control of those metabolic processes, cells and organisms cannot maintain activities linked to life.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Dopage : Sports, Organisations et Sciences (Coursera) Coursera
University of Lausanne

Dopage : Sports, Organisations et Sciences (Coursera)

L'objectif du cours est de permettre une compréhension distanciée du dopage. C’est pour atteindre cet objectif que le cours s’appuie sur une approche pluridisciplinaire qui constitue une opportunité d'observer comment diverses disciplines abordent un même objet, selon différents angles et de manière complémentaire. Il s'agit également de donner des repères permettant d'appréhender le dopage dans sa complexité.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
An Introduction to the U.S. Food System: Perspectives from Public Health (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

An Introduction to the U.S. Food System: Perspectives from Public Health (Coursera)

A food system encompasses the activities, people and resources involved in getting food from field to plate. Along the way, it intersects with aspects of public health, equity and the environment. In this course, we will provide a brief introduction to the U.S. food system and how food production practices and what we choose to eat impacts the world in which we live. Through several case studies, we will discuss some key historical and political factors that have helped shape the current food system and consider alternative approaches from farm to fork.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Everyday Chinese Medicine (Coursera) Coursera
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Everyday Chinese Medicine (Coursera)

This course aims to serve as an education platform on Chinese medicine (CM) for the general public. Our primary goal is to empower healthcare choices by promoting awareness and practical application on CM diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, as well as regulation on CM services and herbal products using international examples.

Sep 14th 2026
5-12 Weeks