The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society
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Neuropathy, headache, and low back pain (LBP) are common conditions requiring pain management. Yet little is known regarding whether access to specialists impacts opioid prescribing. We aimed to identify factors associated with opioid initiation among opioid-naïve older adults and evaluate how access to particular specialists impacts prescribing. ⋯ PERSPECTIVE: This article presents how opioid initiation for opioid-naïve patients with newly diagnosed neuropathy, headache, and LBP varies across providers. Greater access to certain specialists decreased the likelihood of opioid initiation. Future work may consider interventions to support alternative treatments and better access to specialists in low-density regions.
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Interprofessional communication about inflammatory and non-inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions is an important component of assessment and management in paediatric rheumatology. Chronic pain is a feature of some of these conditions which likely influences the extent and type of communication about pain. Research investigating interprofessional communication about paediatric pain is limited but has found that communication is inclusive of the biopsychosocial context of children/adolescents as well as their families. ⋯ These findings characterise the nuances in interprofessional communication about pain and can be used to inform future work aimed at understanding and optimising the impact of interprofessional communication on clinical decisions and pain outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: This study characterises the processes (series of actions), the function (purpose) and the content (topic areas) of interprofessional communication about paediatric pain in rheumatology settings. These findings should be used to inform interventions targeting both the appropriateness and effectiveness of this communication.
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Chronic pain in Canadian Veterans is twice that of the general population and the prevalence of their related mental health concerns is alarmingly high. This likely puts their children at an increased risk of developing pain and mental health problems that can pervasively impact daily life and persist into adulthood. Pain care and military culture of (acute and chronic) pain have been identified as a top priority of Canadian Veterans. ⋯ This study sheds light on how pain is experienced and perceived within military families and can inform research on and efforts to foster resilience in these families. PERSPECTIVE: This is the first qualitative study to explore the lived experiences of pain in Canadian military families. Findings underscore the key role that military culture and identity plays in how pain is experienced and perceived in all family members.