Pain and Chronic Disease in the aftermath of an Environmental Disaster

The article is centred on the notion of pain and its transformation from natural to social experience as embodied in the process of disease. Yet its meaning cannot be restricted to mere physiological malfunctioning of the organism. The concept of illness pertains to the manner in which the patient, his family members and the physician interpret and respond with the process of disease. Chronic pain and disease, sometimes lacking of physiological basis appear to be a multifaceted phenomenon modulated by the socio-psychological influences in the life of the patient. This is illustrated by the case of the Bhopal gas tragedy victims who demonstrate that pain and disease are culturally determined phenomena.