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Research Topics


Pain Management

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.

Each section below is populated by a search of the HSR website. Search results are generated based on the search term "Pain". Results are updated as new data are available.

VIEW: Citations | Publication Briefs | Studies | HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters | Cyberseminars | Videos | Podcasts | Other Resources



Citations

(5 of more than 1740 PAIN focused publications)



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Publication Briefs

(5 of more than 95 PAIN focused publication briefs)


  • Telehealth Mindfulness-Based Interventions Improve Pain-Related Function and Biopsychosocial Outcomes Among Veterans with Chronic Pain
    This randomized clinical trial aimed to test the effectiveness of two scalable, 8-week telehealth mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) – group and self-paced – compared to usual care. Findings showed that both the group and self-paced MBI significantly improved pain-related function and biopsychosocial outcomes compared to usual care. Group and self-paced MBIs performed similarly. Averaged acros...
    Date: August 19, 2024
  • Women Veterans More Likely to Have Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions and Higher Pain Interference and Intensity
    This study examined gender differences in chronic pain and its contributors. Findings showed that, compared to men, women Veterans were more likely to have chronic overlapping pain conditions and had higher levels of pain interference and intensity. Women had higher prevalence of psychiatric and sleep disorder diagnoses, greater levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, fatigu...
    Date: February 12, 2024
  • Giving Veterans an Active Voice in Creating a Veteran-Centered Chronic Pain Research Agenda
    Veterans Action League (VAL) 2.0 was a two-year community engagement project (2019–2021) that sought to develop a national Veteran-centered chronic pain research agenda that includes Veteran-generated recommendations for chronic pain management and chronic pain research priorities. Findings showed that Veterans’ most frequently cited need for chronic pain management and treatment was better access...
    Date: March 23, 2023
  • Black Veterans with Chronic Pain Express Dissatisfaction with VA Telehealth Options during Pandemic
    This study sought to understand how Black Veterans with chronic pain experienced pandemic-related changes in VA healthcare delivery. Investigators conducted qualitative interviews with Black Veterans who had completed a randomized controlled trial of an intervention focused on communication and patient activation for Black patients with chronic pain. Findings showed that Veterans described mostly ...
    Date: November 14, 2022
  • AI-Guided Pain Care Might Work as Well as Phone Therapy
    Investigators in this study developed a cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain (CBT-CP) intervention using artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically adjust the modality of weekly therapist interactions based on patient feedback reported daily via interactive voice response (IVR). This trial evaluated this intervention (AI-CBT-CP) relative to therapist-delivered telephone CBT-CP. Finding...
    Date: September 1, 2022

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Studies

( 5 of more than 101 PAIN focused projects )

Project No.  Title  PI  Funding Start   
IIR 22-070 Enhancing an Intervention for Smokers with Chronic Pain using IVR: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Smoking Cessation Counseling for Veterans Bastian, Lori 2024-06-01
IIR 22-062 Reducing Chronic Opioid Use Among Veterans Undergoing Community Care Surgery Using a Transitional Pain Service Brooke, Benjamin 2024-02-01
IIR 21-207 Evaluating Group-Based Psychological Treatments over Home Video Teleconference for Older Veterans with Chronic Pain Yarns, Brandon 2023-10-01
CDA 21-015 Addressing Disparities In Pain Management Javier, Sarah 2023-08-01
PPO 22-051 Addressing Disparities in Pain Management among Veterans: A Decision Tool to Support Preference-Based Safe Prescribing and Treatment Decisions in Primary Care Schapira, Marilyn 2023-07-01

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HSR Briefs, Reports, Newsletters

Dextrose Prolotherapy for Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review (10-09-2024)

Systematic Review - Dextrose Prolotherapy for Musculoskeletal Pain (09-13-2024)

Extended Reality Interventions for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review (06-11-2024)

Systematic Review - Extended Reality Interventions for Chronic Pain (04-17-2024)

Engagement Panels Bring Veterans' Perspectives to Pain/Opioid AMP Research Priorities (03-11-2024)

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Cyberseminars

The most recent "Pain" seminars are displayed.
Date Title Presenter(s)
3/4/2025 The Improving Veteran Access to Integrated Management of Back Pain (AIM-Back) trial: Findings and Lessons Learned from an Embedded Pragmatic Cluster-Randomized Trial Hastings, Susan Nicki  
George, Steven  
2/4/2025 Complementary and Integrative Health Therapies for Pain at the VA: Research on What is Being Provided and How Well They are Working Taylor, Stephanie  
Burgess, Diana  
1/16/2025 Evidence Map of Massage Therapy for Pain: Update from 2018–2023 Shekelle, Paul  
Mak, Selene  
1/7/2025 Supporting Whole Person Pain Management in the Military Health System Rhon, Dan  
Fritz, Julie  
12/12/2024 Therapist Delivered Massage for Veterans with Chronic Neck Pain: Outcomes from the TOMCATT Trial Munk, Niki  
Bair, Matthew  

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Videos

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Podcasts


There are currently no podcasts for this topic.

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Other Resources

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