Health Services Research & Development

• Taylor SL. Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches for Pain Management: Briefing before the providers of VA Greater Los Angeles HCS Department of Medicine (Grand Rounds); 2019 Feb 20; Los Angeles, CA.
• Zeliadt SB, Taylor S, Thomas E, Giannitrapani K, Holliday J, Ackland P. Battlefield Acupuncture for Pain in the VA: What is it, How effective is it and How Well is it Being Implemented? The Effectiveness and Implementation of Battlefield Acupuncture in the VA [Cyberseminar]. QUERI Complementary and Integrative Health Evaluation Center Partnered Evaluation Initiative. 2019 Feb 5.
• Giannitrapani KF, Day RT, Azarfar A, Ahluwalia SC, Dobscha S, Lorenz KA. What Do Providers Want from a Pain Screening Measure Used in Daily Practice?. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.). 2019 Jan 1; 20(1):68-76.
• Morasco BJ, Krebs EE, Adams MH, Hyde S, Zamudio J, Dobscha SK. Clinician Response to Aberrant Urine Drug Test Results of Patients Prescribed Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain. The Clinical Journal of Pain. 2019 Jan 1; 35(1):1-6.
• Evans EA, Taylor SL. Gender Disparities in the Use of Complementary and Integrative Health by U.S. Military Veterans with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Spotlight on Women's Health [Cyberseminar]. VA HSR&D. 2018 Nov 29.

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• Links Between Opioid Use and Suicide
  This review describes what is known about the links between suicide and overdoses, with a focus on pathways through opioid use, issues of intent, risk factors, prevention strategies, and unresolved issues. Many factors promote the initiation and persistence of opioid use, but several specific pathways toward vulnerability to overdose and suicide are highlighted. Interventions that address shared c...
  
  Date: January 3, 2019
• Link between Length of Prescription for Initial Exposure to Opioids and Long-Term Use
  This study examined the association between initial opioid exposure and subsequent long-term use in two national VA cohorts from 2011 and 2016. Findings showed a strong relationship between initial opioid exposure and the future likelihood for long-term use. Cumulative days’ supply of prescription opioids emerged as the strongest predictor of long-term opioid use, which occurred in only 2% of Vete...
  
  Date: November 5, 2018
• Veterans Receiving Prescriptions Through Both VA and Medicare Are More Likely to Be Taking Opioids and Benzodiazepines
  This study sought to assess the association between receiving medications from both VA and Medicare Part D (dual use) and the receipt of overlapping opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions. Findings showed that receiving prescription medications from both VA and Medicare Part D was associated with a 27% increased risk of overlapping opioids and benzodiazepines – and more than twice the risk of ove...
  
  Date: October 9, 2018
• Battlefield Acupuncture Proves Highly Effective in Treating Chronic Pain among Veterans
  Battlefield acupuncture (BFA) involves a small needle inserted into parts of the ear that have a “central effect” on the nervous system and an area of the brain that processes pain. This study examined the use and effectiveness of BFA for pain in group and individual sessions at a large VA medical center. Findings showed that BFA was highly efficacious in immediately reducing pain for a significan...
  
  Date: September 5, 2018
• Women Veterans with Pain More Likely to Use Complementary and Integrative Therapies
  This study sought to examine complementary and integrative health (CIH) therapy use by gender among Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain, and variations in gender differences by race/ethnicity and age. Findings showed that of Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain, more women than men used CIH therapies (36% vs. 26%). Black women, regardless of age, were least likely to use CIH therapies...
  
  Date: September 1, 2018

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» View more Studies

• FORUM, Spring 2016: Chronic pain, opioids
  ...Pain and the Science of Pain Management by Rollin M. Gallagher, MD, MPH, National Director for Pain Management, Veterans Health Administration...
  
  
• Management Briefs eBrief-no125 - Effectiveness of Models Used to Deliver Multimodal Care for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
  ...clinically relevant improvement in rates of pain intensity and pain-related function over 9 to 12 months (NNT range, 4.1 to 12.70), as well as...
  
  
• Management Briefs eBrief-no123 - Massage for Pain: An Evidence Map
  ...types of pain included in systematic reviews were neck pain (n=6), followed by low back pain, headache, or shoulder pain. Also included in some...
  
  
• Management Briefs eBrief-no122 - Benefits and Harms of Cannabis in Chronic Pain or PTSD
  ...with chronic pain or PTSD. Treatment of chronic pain There is limited evidence that cannabis may improve pain, spasticity, and sleep in select...
  
  
• Management Briefs eBrief-no107 - Spinal Manipulative Therapy for Acute Neck and Lower Back Pain
  ...pain are common ailments, and most people can expect at least one episode of acute back and/or neck pain in their lifetime. SMT is one of many...
  
  

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» View more Cyberseminars

Videos

• Using Service Connected Disability Hearings as a Gateway to Pain Management 01/08/18
• Evaluating Integrated Pain Treatment 01/02/18
• Walking Program to Improve Chronic Back Pain 11/15/12

Podcasts

• Painful Conversations: Pain Management SCAN-ECHO Improves Provider Conversations with Patients about Pain Care 12/20/2018
• Pain Management and Opioid Safety 05/04/2018
• Clinical Dashboard Elements to Improve Chronic Pain Care 07/19/2017

Other Resources

• Learn more about the HSR&D Center of Innovation on Pain Research, Informatics, Multi-morbidities, and Education (PRIME) in West Haven, CT.
• Visit the pain topic page at the VA Office of Research & Development website to learn more about additional pain research in VA.
• Learn more about the NIH-DoD-VA Pain Management Collaboratory.