Pain Management Commons^™

Adolescent Suicide: The Implication Of Coping, Family Functioning And Their Interactions For Prevention And Intervention, Ronald F. Bobner, David M. Weis, Carolyn Ridenour, Pam Gulley Smith, Kathy Kormos, Ben E. Lanpher

Carolyn S. Ridenour

It has become apparent over the past ten years that the role of the family has been identified as an increasingly significant variable with regard to adolescent suicide. Some authors go as far as to say that "family related factors appear to be, very little information is available about the family characteristics of youths that kill themselves. Furthermore, family characteristics of youths who attempt suicide are often described as a side feature of investigations of other factors, and these generally focus on the family characteristics only after an attempt has occurred. Little is known about those family factors that are …

Self-Reported Pain In Male And Female Iraq/Afghanistan-Era Veterans: Associations With Psychiatric Symptoms And Functioning, Jennifer C. Naylor, H. Ryan Wagner, Mira Brancu, Megan Shepherd-Banigan, Eric Elbogen, Michelle Kelley, Teresa Fecteau, Karen Goldstein, Nathan A. Kimbrel, Christine E. Marx

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective. To examine pain symptoms and co-occurring psychiatric and functional indices in male and female Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans.

Design. Self-reported data collection and interviews of Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans who participated in a multisite study of postdeployment mental health.

Setting. Veterans were enrolled at one of four participating VA sites.

Subjects. Two thousand five hundred eighty-seven male and 662 female Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans.

Methods. Nonparametric Wilcoxon rank tests examined differences in pain scores between male and female veterans. Chi-square tests assessed differences between male and female veterans in the proportion of respondents endorsing moderate to high levels of pain vs no pain. Multilevel …

Prescription Opioids: A Band-Aid For Chronic Low Back Pain, Rebekah Dunn

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Pain is one of the most common reasons patients seek medical care in the outpatient clinic and emergency department setting.

 • In the last decade, per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), prescription drug abuse and overdose, specifically opioids, has become the leading cause of injury and deaths in the United States.

• “Opioids—primarily prescription pain relievers and heroin—are the main driver of overdose deaths and were involved in 28,647 deaths in 2014…opioid overdoses have quadrupled (an increase of 200%) since 2000” (Rudd et al. 2016).

• In 2016 the CDC established guidelines of clinical practice regarding management of …

Play It Again! Individualized Music Improves Social Interaction Of Women, But Not Men, With Dementia, Emily Farrer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Dementia is tragic both for patients with the disease and for their family members. As this neurodegenerative disorder progresses, cognitive functions deteriorate, agitation and aggression increase, and mood worsens (McDermott, Orrell, et al., 2014; Spiro, 2010; Vasionyté & Madison, 2013). Non-pharmacological approaches, such as active music therapy or passive music listening, can be effective in reducing these symptoms. However, no past studies have examined how music listening affects the social interactions of patients with dementia. As such, this study examined whether nursing home residents with dementia are more engaged and interactive if they listen to individually selected music for 15 …

Maintenance Of Positive Affect Following Pain In Younger And Older Adults, Ian Andres Boggero

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Socioemotional selectivity theory posits that as people age, they become motivated and successful at maximizing positive emotions and minimizing negative ones. Yet, 70% of older adults report physical pain, which is associated with negative affect. The strategies and resources that older adults use to maintain positive affect in the face of pain remain largely unknown. Specific positivity-enhancing strategies include recalling, recognizing, and responding to positive stimuli and prioritizing close over knowledgeable social partners. Executive functions (EF, i.e., task-switching, working memory, and inhibition) and heart rate variability (HRV) may be important resources for coping with pain. The current project used two …

Optimism And Pain Interference In Aging Women, Stephanie T. Judge

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Pain interferes with people's daily lives and often limits the extent to which they can pursue goals and engages in activities that promote well-being. The present study test how optimism affects and is affected by pain interference and activity among older women. Every three months for two years, middle- and older-age women (N = 199) complete daily diaries at home for a seven-day period, reporting their daily pain, pain interference, and activity. Optimism was measured at baseline and end-of-study. Multilevel models test the between- and within-person relationships among pain, optimism, pain interference and activity. Pain best predicted pain interference …

Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions Of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Patients With Chronic Pain: A Qualitative Investigation, Nicole A. Hollingshead, Marianne S. Matthias, Matthew Bair, Adam T. Hirsh

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals are at-risk for chronic pain and disparate care. In this qualitative study, we explored providers’ experiences with socioeconomically disadvantaged patients, with a particular focus on providers’: (1) perceptions of socioeconomically disadvantaged patients’ barriers to pain care, (2) attitudes towards this patient population, and (3) chronic pain decisions for these patients. Individual interviews were conducted with twenty-four healthcare providers. Providers discussed several patient-level access barriers, such as not having health insurance, financial constraints, and scheduling difficulties. Providers believed socioeconomically disadvantaged patients were at-risk to misuse prescription opioids and were less comfortable prescribing opioids to these patients. This investigation …

Pharmacology Of Cannabis, Mandakini Sadhir

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Cannabis has been used for recreational purposes around the world. It is derived from the plant cannabis sativa which has various other compounds known as cannabinoids. Most common form of cannabis used for recreational purpose is marijuana, which is prepared from dried flowering tops and leaves. The primary psychoactive component is delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (δ-9THC), which exerts its physiological and psychological effects through its interaction with CB1 and CB2 receptors. Smoking is the most commonly used method with onset of effects within minutes after inhalation. Oral ingestion of cannabis has varied absorption with delayed onset but longer duration of action. Urine …

Medical Cannabis: Miracle Or Myth?, Blair Henry, Arnav Agarwal, Edward Chow, Hatim A. Omar, Joav Merrick

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Implementation Of Alternative Pain Control Methods By Dental Hygienists, Alejandra Valadez Rodriguez

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

As a dental hygienist, it is important to understand new concepts and techniques that can contribute to a more comfortable setting for patients who experience dental anxiety. Alternative pain control methods can assist in alleviating patient anxiety, therefore, providing a more efficient and relaxed clinical atmosphere for both patient and clinician. Some of the methods discussed are: guided imagery, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, hypnosis, acupressure, essential oil diffusion, audio distraction, and visual stimuli. After reviewing the literature the researcher found that dental anxiety affects patient compliance, their overall health, and willingness to attend regular dental visits. The purpose of this …

Hospice And Pain Management In Nursing Home Residents With Cancer, Jacob N. Hunnicutt, Jennifer Tjia, Kate L. Lapane

Jennifer Tjia

Background: The prevalence of untreated pain in nursing home residents with cancer is unacceptably high. Hospice may increase the likelihood of receiving pain management at the end of life.

Objectives: To estimate whether receipt of hospice in nursing homes increases the receipt of pain management for nursing home residents with cancer at the end of life.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on a national sample of Medicare decedents who had cancer and were nursing home residents during the last 90 days of life in 2011–2012. We used the last Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assessment before death and the …

A Comparison Of Combined Versus Individual Cognitive Coping Strategies For Managing Pain, Grant Pointon

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Several cognitive coping strategies for reducing pain sensation have been identified, but their effects have traditionally only been examined in isolation. The current investigation instead compared the effectiveness of traditional cognitive coping strategies based upon imagery and pain acknowledgement/attention against an “integrated” strategy (that required both strategies to be used in combination) within a cold pressor test (CPT). Participants (N = 24, M_age= 19.46, SD = 1.47) underwent a baseline condition followed by counterbalanced strategy trials: imagery, attention, & integrated condition. Tolerance times, pain ratings, and perceived control ratings were recorded. The imagery condition had lower pain …

Dance And Well-Being In Older Adult Communities: Exploring Efficacy As A Mediator, Beth M. Mcgowan

Honors Thesis

As the population of older adults expands, it becomes increasingly important to develop effective interventions to ensure high levels of well-being. Previous research in a variety of populations has shown that dance produces broad benefits including improving physical mobility, social relationships, autonomy, and self-image. Given this, the present study attempted to clarify the mechanisms through which dance might lead to these improvements. Specifically, this research examined the role of self-efficacy, or beliefs that one can accomplish certain tasks, have in explaining the psychological benefits of dance. I hypothesized that when dance is a social activity it instills a sense of …

Treating Chronic Pain At A Federally Qualified Health Center: Staff Perspectives, Nathan K. Goins

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Although half of all patients with chronic pain seek treatment with their primary care practitioner, many physicians report being overburdened, with limited confidence in their training in the treatment of chronic pain. Opiate monotherapy remains the most common treatment utilized, despite strong correlations with addiction issues and increased distrust between patients and providers. In response to these issues, multidisciplinary stepped-care approaches utilizing psychoeducation, cognitive therapies, movement-based therapy, pharmaceutical treatment, yoga, and acupuncture have been developed. However, treatment within Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are complicated by financial constraints and high complexity in patient populations. This study examined the perspectives of …

Phantom Limb Pain, Stephanie J. Stockburger, Mandakini Sadhir, Hatim A. Omar

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Phantom limb pain is pain that is perceived in a part of the body which is no longer present. It is estimated that 80 percent of amputees experience phantom limb pain. Although the term is “phantom limb pain” the feeling is often more of a burning, twisting, itching, or pressure sensation than pain. The exact mechanism of phantom limb pain is unknown although proposed mechanisms include pain origination from either the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. Since the exact mechanism of phantom limb pain is unknown, treating this pain may be difficult. Treatments include pharmacological and nonpharmacological. …

Perspectives On Pediatric Pain, Donald E. Greydanus, Dilip R. Patel, Colleen Dodich, Hatim A. Omar, Joav Merrick

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Suicidal Ideation In Patients Hospitalized For Emergency Medical Treatment Related To Physical Trauma: Effects Of Posttraumatic Stress And Depression, Erin E. Carney

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Survivors of physical trauma may be at increased risk for developing suicidal ideation and behavior both during and after their inpatient hospitalization for medical treatment of wounds. It remains to be understood why a population hospitalized for nonpsychiatric reasons may ultimately develop a desire to take their own life. The current study sought to answer this question by hypothesizing that symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and depression during the recovery period individually mediated the relationship between physical pain and suicidal ideation. Researchers assessed these relationships in 246 patients who were receiving emergency medical treatment for wounds associated with a physically …

Use Of Video Games In Patients' Self-Management Of Pain: A Feasibility Study, Janet Donnelly Phd(C), Rn-Bc, Acns-Bc, Pccn

Dissertations

Background: Pain affects more than 75 million Americans and is the primary reason people seek medical attention. Pain is a common cause of disability and diminished quality of life. While anecdotal evidence exists regarding nurses’ use of distraction therapy activities in pain management, little empirical research data is available.

Purpose: To examine the effects of video game use (VGU) on pain perception, pain interference perception and perceived self-efficacy in pain management in adult inpatients.

Conceptual Model: The conceptual model is based on Self-efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1995). The antecedents of the concept of distraction therapy with use of VGs in patients’ …

Chronic Pain Causal Attributions In An Interdisciplinary Primary Care Clinic: Patient-Provider And Provider-Provider Discrepancies, Bryan Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of pain causal attributions on patient pain-related functioning, treatment engagement, and clinical outcomes. Additionally, the impact of discordant pain causal attributions between patients and their providers as well as between interdisciplinary providers was examined. Patients rated their pain functioning and causal pain attributions during a regular clinic visit. Following the patient’s visit both the behavioral medicine provider and internal medicine resident provided ratings of similar pain-related functioning domains and causal attributions. Follow-up data were collected from the electronic medical record three months following that clinic visit. Overall, results revealed …

The Role Of N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (Nac) As An Adjuvant To Opioid Treatment In Patients With Inadequately Controlled Chronic Neuropathic Pain, Thomas B. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. While opioid medications are commonly prescribed for management of neuropathic pain (NP), long-term use has been associated with increased risk for overdose, drug interactions and addiction. New strategies are necessary to better manage chronic pain, thereby reducing need for opioid medications and their associated adverse consequences. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an over-the-counter supplement, has shown promise in the treatment of psychiatric and addictive disorders. In addition, NAC has shown promise for reducing physiological signs of NP in laboratory rat models, prompting this study.

Purpose. The present study was an open-label clinical trial of NAC as an adjuvant to opioid treatment for …