Challenges and opportunities in knowledge transfer by informal and formal knowledge brokers that support persons with chronic pain

Knowledge brokers such as health care professionals and consumer group peer support leaders experience many challenges in transferring and exchanging knowledge for persons with chronic pain and those with work injuries. Meeting the needs of end users and their preferences for considering and integrating knowledge into decision making is not easy. This chapter will provide an overview of the barriers to KT and offer strategies to facilitate ways to meet the needs of end users such as persons with chronic pain that is also sensitive to the contextual and social cultural expectations of the end users. Readers will be introduced to an Interactive Knowledge Transfer Process that can enable formal and informal knowledge brokers to create spaces and opportunities for practical knowledge exchange of research, procedural and health information needed to manage daily and work activities while living with pain. This chapter will also have a focus on what knowledge brokers need to know to help end users successfully appraise information available on the internet. © 2012 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.