A project in Alabama takes a down-to-earth approach in teaching patients to think differently and cope more effectively with chronic pain. It may alleviate depression, too.
Chronic pain is a significant public health problem that affects more than 116 million Americans; costs $600 billion annually; and is unequally borne by people in low-income brackets, especially ethnic minorities. Many individuals also have health literacy deficits (difficulty understanding their illness and difficulty navigating the healthcare system for treatment), putting them at a greater disadvantage in the healthcare system. Treatment usually relies on expensive medical interventions with negative side effects.
Managing Long-Term Low Back Pain to Improve Health and Reduce Reliance on Opioid Medicines: Comparing Mindfulness Meditation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
PCORI has identified opioid use for chronic pain as an important research topic. Patients, clinicians, and others want to learn: How can patients lower their use of opioid medications while managing chronic pain, or eliminate use of these drugs altogether? To help answer this question, PCORI launched a funding initiative in 2016 on Clinical Strategies for Managing and Reducing Long Term Opioid Use for Chronic Pain. This research project is one of the studies PCORI awarded as part of this program. This research project is in progress.
Background: Opioid analgesics such as Vicodin and Oxycontin are now widely prescribed to manage moderate to severe chronic pain, but the effectiveness and safety of long-term opioid use are unclear. Of the 60 million US adults with moderate to severe chronic pain, 5 to 8 million currently use opioids long-term. Increased opioid prescribing has led to an alarming rise in prescription opioid abuse and overdose among chronic pain patients and in the community-at-large. Patients considering long-term opioid use need reliable information on risks.
