The medical management of chronic (long-term) or acute (short-term) pain is an important priority for VA, as some 77% of Veterans report pain control as among their top three priorities in primary care.* Important issues being studied include whether computer-aided screening will increase pain diagnosis, and what techniques will best support Veterans in self-managing their pain.
* Mitchinson AR, Kerr EA, Krein SL. "Management of chronic noncancer pain by VA primary care providers: when is pain control a priority?' Am J Manag Care. 2008 Feb;14(2):77-84.
Search results were generated based on the search term "Pain". Results are updated weekly, as new data are available.
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.
Henry SG, Matthias MS. Patient-Clinician Communication About Pain: A Conceptual Model and Narrative Review. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.). 2018 Nov 1; 19(11):2154-2165.
(5 of more than 74 PAIN focused publication briefs)
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...
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...
Pain in Patients with Polytrauma
...assessment tools been developed to measure pain intensity and pain-related functional interference among patients with cognitive deficits due...
