Engaging Art, Science, and Empathy (ease): Lessons from interdisciplinary, care-centered research on the wicked problem chronic pain.

This chapter extends the authors’ individual and collective research on inter-disciplinary, community-engaged inquiry by examining how an Ethics of Care can shape collaborations across art, design, social work, and STEM fields. We share insights from a research initiative involving thirteen academic re-searchers and nine advisers, focused on the “wicked problem” of chronic pain and health inequities. Through six interdisciplinary teams, we co-designed arts-informed studies with over 100 participants living with chronic pain to support well-being, advocate for systemic change, and foster thriving. We examined the research that led to a Photovoice study co-developed with patients identifying as women of colour to illustrate how creative methods, relational accountability, and community engagement can challenge extractive research norms. Our findings underscore the importance of navigating disciplinary differences, building trust, and recognising lived experience as expertise. We propose that adopting an Ethics of Care approach to research design and team practices can lead to more inclusive, patient-centred inquiry. By reflecting on those approaches, we aim to promote equity in health research and support broader institutional transformation