Click here to view the Today Show feature entitled "New therapy aims to cure back pain without drugs, surgery." This feature aired on November 9, 2023.
Abstract Background and objectives: Little is known about the prevalence of physical pain among family caregivers to older adults. We used national survey data to assess the relative prevalence of caregivers' arthritis and activity-limiting bothersome pain by caregiver and care recipient characteristics to identify which caregivers may be at a higher risk for physical pain. Research design and methods: We analyzed data collected from 1,930 caregivers who participated in the National Study on Caregiving (2017). We utilized modified Poisson models to estimate adjusted associations of caregiver and care recipient characteristics with the relative prevalence of arthritis and bothersome pain. Results: 40% of caregivers had [...]
Special Issue: Translational Research on Pain and Pain Management in Later Life Co-Editors: Cary Reid, PhD, MD, and Karl Pillemer, PhD, FGSA Chronic pain is a common, morbid, and costly disorder that disproportionately affects older adults. Innovation in Aging invites submissions for empirical papers and systematic or scoping reviews that contribute new insights and knowledge on geriatric pain issues related to its impact, prevention, detection, and management. Studies that advance our understanding of how to best assess and manage later-life pain and educate providers, older adults, and caregivers on how to perform these tasks will be particularly welcome. Further, nonpharmacologic approaches to [...]
Title: Feasibility of a Technology-Enabled Chronic Pain Self-Management Intervention Delivered by Community Health Workers Investigator: Mary Janevic, PhD, University of Michigan Overview: Learning chronic pain self-management skills can help patients improve daily functioning and quality of life, while avoiding risks associated with opioids and other pharmacological treatments. Community health workers (CHWs) may help make chronic pain self-management interventions more accessible to older adults living in underserved communities. The goal of this study is to conduct a randomized pilot and feasibility trial of a positive psychology-based chronic pain self-management intervention delivered by CHWs, in conjunction with mobile health tools, in a sample of [...]
Title: Adaptation of Ca-HELP Intervention in Rural Geriatric Cancer Patient Population Investigator: Megan Shen, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Jill Harrison, PhD, Brown University Overview: The Cancer Health Empowerment for Living without Pain (Ca-HELP) is an evidence-based communication tool that empowers and engages patients to communicate effectively with their physicians about pain. The Ca-HELP intervention is rooted in social-cognitive theory which posits that behavior change and maintenance depends largely on individuals' ability and self-efficacy to execute a specific behavior. Ca-HELP coaches patients to ask questions, make requests, and signal distress to their physicians in order to achieve improved pain control. Previous research [...]
Title: MOTIVATE: Moving to Improve Chronic Back Pain and Depression in Older Adults Investigator: Una Makris, MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Overview: The overarching goal of this study is to evaluate a tele-based behavioral change intervention for older adults (aged 50 years and older) with chronic low back pain (cLBP) and comorbid depression, and to ultimately assess its effect on cLBP-related disability and depressive symptoms. Investigators will conduct a pilot randomized control trial to assess feasibility for older adults with chronic low back pain and depression to receive a behavioral change tele-based intervention delivered by a health coach trained in [...]
Title: Feasibility of a Remote Social Network-Based Occupational Therapy Intervention to Address Physical Function, Activity and Pain in Affordable Senior Housing Investigator: Noah J. Webster, PhD, University of Michigan Overview: The goal of this project is to test feasibility of pairing a social network-based approach with Occupational Therapy (OT) to increase physical function and activity. Only 16% of people age 65+ engage in recommended activity levels. OT and social relationships may facilitate increased activity through addressing barriers such as pain. The goals of the intervention is to increase physical function and activity through development of habits and skills that address [...]
Title: Testing an Intervention to Reduce Pain and Depression Among Older African American Women with Physical Disabilities Investigator: Janiece L. Taylor, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, Johns Hopkins University Overview: This novel study will advance the science in pain and co-occurring depression in older African American women with disabilities. This multicomponent intervention uses a multidisciplinary approach to address the public health problem of older African American women with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to use self-regulation theory to refine and further test the feasibility of a tailored behavioral activation intervention, African American Women in Pain Reduction through Improved Mood [...]
Title: Feasibility and Acceptability of Pain Reprocessing Therapy in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Adults with Chronic Back Pain Investigator: Yoni Ashar, PhD, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Overview: In most cases, peripheral tissue causes of chronic back pain (CBP) cannot be identified, and central nervous system processes are believed to play a prominent role. For this chronic pain subtype—termed primary chronic pain in the ICD-11—pain-related fear and avoidance are key maintenance factors. We recently developed a novel psychological treatment, Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), that employs cognitive and exposure-based techniques to reduce pain-related fear and avoidance and resolve primary CBP. The main [...]
Risk of fractures in older adults with chronic non-cancer pain receiving concurrent benzodiazepines and opioids: A nested case–control study. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the concurrent use of benzodiazepines and opioids and the risk of fractures in older patients with chronic non-cancer pain. Methods: Patients with osteoarthritis or low back pain (≥ 65 years of age) included in the Korean National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort database of Korea and with an incident diagnosis of hip, humeral, or forearm fracture between 2011 and 2015 were identified as cases. For each case, four controls were matched [...]
