[Preventing pain chronification : the key role of primary care physicians].

Chronic pain affects approximately 1.5 million people in Switzerland, representing a major burden for patients and society. Family physicians are uniquely positioned to identify patients at risk of pain chronification and implement preventive interventions. This article presents the conceptual framework of primary, secondary, and tertiary pain prevention, the key biopsychosocial risk factors for pain chronification, validated screening tools for clinical practice, and evidence-based intervention strategies. Using paradigmatic examples, such as low back pain, the most frequent painful condition, we illustrate how Swiss programs translate these principles into clinical practice.