Abstract
Chronic pancreatitis is a relentlessly painful condition associated most commonly with alcoholism. Patients suffer wasting and depression as a result of chronic pain. It is important for home care clinicians to recognize the signs of pancreatitis and understand the current evidence-based treatment strategies to control the symptoms. Although alcoholism and depression are frequent comorbidities of pancreatitis, a full discussion of alcoholism and depression is outside the scope of this article.