Kathryn Corson

Collaborative care for chronic pain in primary care: a cluster randomized trial.

CONTEXT Chronic pain is common in primary care patients and is associated with distress, disability, and increased health care use. OBJECTIVE To assess whether a collaborative intervention can improve chronic pain-related outcomes, including comorbid depression severity, in a Department of Veterans Affairs primary care setting. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cluster randomized controlled trial of a collaborative care assistance with pain treatment intervention vs treatment as usual at 5 primary care clinics of 1 Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Forty-two primary care clinicians were randomized to the assistance with pain treatment intervention group or the treatment as usual group. The 401 patients had musculoskeletal pain diagnoses, moderate or greater pain intensity, and disability lasting 12 weeks or longer and were assigned to the same treatment groups as their clinicians. Recruitment occurred from January 2006 to January 2007 and follow-up concluded in January 2008. INTERVENTION Assistance with pain treatment included a 2-session clinician education program, patient assessment, education and activation, symptom monitoring, feedback and recommendations to clinicians, and facilitation of specialty care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes over 12 months in pain-related disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, range of 0-24), pain intensity (Chronic Pain Grade [CPG] Pain Intensity subscale, range of 0-100), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9 [PHQ-9], range of 0-27), measured as beta coefficients (difference in slopes in points per month). RESULTS Intervention patients had a mean (SD) of 10.6 (4.5) contacts with the assistance with pain treatment team. Compared with the patients receiving treatment as usual, intervention patients showed greater improvements in pain-related disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire beta, -0.101 [95% confidence interval {CI}, -0.163 to -0.040]; P = .004 and CPG Pain Intensity subscale beta, -0.270 [95% CI, -0.480 to -0.061]; P = .01). Among patients with baseline depression (PHQ-9 score > or = 10), there was greater improvement in depression severity in patients receiving the intervention compared with patients receiving treatment as usual (PHQ-9 beta, -0.177 [95% CI, -0.295 to -0.060]; P = .003). The differences in scores between baseline and 12 months for the assistance with pain treatment intervention group and the treatment as usual group, respectively, were -1.4 vs -0.2 for the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, -4.7 vs -0.6 for the CPG Pain Intensity subscale, and -3.7 vs -1.2 for PHQ-9. CONCLUSION The assistance with pain treatment collaborative intervention resulted in modest but statistically significant improvement in a variety of outcome measures. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00129480.

Complementary and alternative medicine use among veterans with chronic noncancer pain.

We describe prior use and willingness to try complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among 401 veterans experiencing chronic noncancer pain and explore differences between CAM users and nonusers. Participants in a randomized controlled trial of a collaborative intervention for chronic pain from five Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care clinics self-reported prior use and willingness to try chiropractic care, massage therapy, herbal medicines, and acupuncture. Prior CAM users were compared with nonusers on demographic characteristics, pain-related clinical characteristics, disease burden, and treatment satisfaction. A majority of veterans ( n = 327, 82%) reported prior use of at least one CAM modality, and nearly all (n = 399, 99%) were willing to try CAM treatment for pain. Chiropractic care was the least preferred option, whereas massage therapy was the most preferred (75% and 96%, respectively). CAM users were less likely to have service-connection disabilities (54% vs 68%; chi square = 4.64, p = 0.03) and reported having spent a larger percentage of their lives in pain (26% vs 20%; Z = 1.40, p = 0.04) than nonusers. We detected few differences between veterans who had tried CAM and those who had not, suggesting that CAM may have broad appeal among veterans with chronic pain. Implications for VA policy and practice and for clinicians treating veterans with chronic pain are discussed.

Association between substance use disorder status and pain-related function following 12 months of treatment in primary care patients with musculoskeletal pain.

UNLABELLED The goal of this study was to examine relationships between substance use disorder (SUD) history and 12-month outcomes among primary care patients with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). Patients were enrolled in a randomized trial of collaborative care intervention (CCI) versus treatment as usual (TAU) to improve pain-related physical and emotional function. At baseline, 72 of 362 patients (20.0%) had a history of SUD. Compared to CNCP patients without SUD, those with comorbid SUD had poorer pain-related function and were more likely to meet criteria for current major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (all P values <.05). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine whether SUD status was associated with clinically significant change over 12 months in pain-related function (30% reduction in Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire Score). The overall model was not significant in the CCI group. However, within the TAU group, participants with a SUD history were significantly less likely to show improvements in pain-related function (OR = .30, 95% CI = .11-.82). CNCP patients with comorbid SUD reported greater functional impairment at baseline. Patients with SUD who received usual care were 70% less likely to have clinically significant improvements in pain-related function 12 months postbaseline, and SUD status did not impede improvement for the CCI group. PERSPECTIVE Chronic noncancer pain patients with a history of a substance use disorder (SUD) report poorer pain-related functioning and are less likely to experience clinically significant improvements from usual pain treatment. Providers should assess for SUD status and provide more intensive interventions for these patients.

Screening for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in VA Primary Care Patients with Depression Symptoms

BackgroundUnrecognized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common and may be an important factor in treatment-resistant depression. Brief screens for PTSD have not been evaluated for patients with depression.ObjectiveThe objective was to evaluate a 4-item screen for PTSD in patients with depression.DesignBaseline data from a depression study were used to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios (LRs) using the PTSD checklist (PCL-17) as the reference standard.SubjectsSubjects are 398 depressed patients seen in Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care clinics.MeasuresThe Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) for depression, PCL-17, and 4-item screen for PTSD were used.ResultsPatients had a mean PHQ score of 14.8 (SD 3.7). Using a conservative PCL-17 cut point “(>50)”, the prevalence of PTSD was 37%. PCL-17 scores were strongly associated with PHQ scores (r = 0.59, P < 0.001). Among the 342 (86%) patients endorsing trauma, a score of 0 on the remaining 3 symptom items had a LR = 0.21, score of 1 a LR = .62, score of 2 a LR = 1.36, and score of 3 a LR = 4.38.ConclusionsMost depressed VA primary care patients report a history of trauma, and one third may have comorbid PTSD. Our 4-item screen has useful LRs for scores of 0 and 3. Modifying item rating options may improve screening characteristics.

Measuring adherence to depression treatment guidelines in a VA primary care clinic

The primary objectives of this pilot study were to develop a measure of adherence for depression practice guidelines and to assess the degree to which providers and patients adhere to guidelines in a VA primary care setting. The Depression Guideline Measure (DGM) is based on three national guidelines. The DGM was used to review medical records of 111 patients with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) scores >or=10. Interrater reliability for 15 of 19 DGM checklist items was excellent (kappa > 0.75). There was a broad range of adherence to guideline criteria: only 13.5% of patients were contacted for follow-up within 2 weeks, while 100% of providers documented follow-up plans. Forty percent of patients saw mental health providers, and 63% were prescribed antidepressants. A secondary objective of the study was to explore the relationship between guideline adherence and changes in PHQ scores. Among 51 patients who completed follow-up PHQs, no associations were detected. The results suggest that the DGM shows promise as a reliable measure of guideline adherence and that guideline criteria are frequently not met in busy primary care clinics. More research is needed to determine the validity of the DGM and the impact of guideline adherence on depression outcomes.

Rationale, design, and baseline findings from a randomized trial of collaborative care for chronic musculoskeletal pain in primary care.

OBJECTIVE This article describes the rationale, design, and baseline findings from an ongoing study of collaborative care for chronic musculoskeletal pain and comorbid depression. DESIGN Cluster randomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING Forty-two clinicians and 401 patients from five Veterans Affairs primary care clinics. INTERVENTION The intervention was based on the chronic care model, and included patient and provider activation and education, patient assessment, outcomes monitoring, and feedback to providers over 12 months. The intervention team consisted of a full-time psychologist care manager and a part-time physician internist. Approaches included goal setting emphasizing function, patient activation and educating about fear avoidance, and care management. OUTCOME MEASURES Main outcomes are Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) score, depression severity (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and pain severity (Chronic Pain Grade Severity subscale) at 6 and 12 months. BASELINE RESULTS Fifteen percent of primary care patients mailed a study advertisement letter requested screening for the study. The mean age of enrolled patients was 62. Back and neck or joint pain diagnoses were present in 67% and 65% of patients, respectively. Mean pain duration was 15 years, and mean RMDQ score (range 0-24) was 14.7 (standard deviation = 4.4). Sixty-five percent of patients were receiving disability. Eighteen percent of patients met criteria for major depression, 17% for posttraumatic stress disorder, and 9% for alcohol misuse. Thirty-nine percent of patients felt strongly that experiencing pain was a sign of damage, and 60% reported strong avoidance of painful activities. CONCLUSIONS These baseline data support the rationale to develop a multifaceted approach to treat chronic pain in primary care that includes detection and treatment of psychiatric comorbidity.

VA Healthcare Costs of a Collaborative Intervention for Chronic Pain in Primary Care

Background:Chronic pain is costly to individuals and the healthcare system, and is often undertreated. Collaborative care models show promise for improving treatment of patients with chronic pain. The objectives of this article are to report the incremental benefit and incremental health services costs of a collaborative intervention for chronic pain from a veterans affairs (VA) healthcare perspective. Methods:Data on VA treatment costs incurred by participants were obtained from the VAs Decision Support System for all utilization except certain intervention activities which were tracked in a separate database. Outcome data were from a cluster-randomized trial of a collaborative intervention for chronic pain among 401 primary care patients at a VA medical center. Intervention group participants received assessments and care management; stepped-care components were offered to patients requiring more specialized care. The main outcome measure was pain disability-free days (PDFDs), calculated from Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores. Results:Participants in the intervention group experienced an average of 16 additional PDFDs over the 12-month follow-up window as compared with usual care participants; this came at an adjusted incremental cost of

Brief assessment for suicidal ideation in OEF/OIF veterans with positive depression screens

364 per PDFD for a typical participant. Important predictors of costs were baseline medical comorbidities, depression severity, and prior years treatment costs. Conclusions:This collaborative intervention resulted in more pain disability-free days and was more expensive than usual care. Further research is necessary to identify if the intervention is more cost-effective for some patient subgroups and to learn whether pain improvements and higher costs persist after the intervention has ended.

Collaborative care for pain results in both symptom improvement and sustained reduction of pain and depression

OBJECTIVES We describe processes, rates, and patient and system correlates of brief structured assessments (BSAs) for suicidal ideation among Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans with positive depression screens. METHODS Electronic Veterans Affairs (VA) medical record and Department of Defense data were used to identify individual-level and BSA-process variables for 1662 OEF/OIF veterans at three VA Medical Centers. RESULTS Overall, 1349/1662 (81%) veterans received BSAs for suicidal ideation within 1 month of depression screening; 94% of BSAs were conducted within 1 day. Stratified analyses revealed significant intersite differences in veteran demographics, instruments used, clinical setting and staff performing assessments, and correlates of assessment completion. At two sites, men were more likely to be assessed than women [odds ratio (OR)=2.15 (95% confidence interval {CI}=1.06-4.38) and 3.14 (CI=1.27-7.76)]. In a combined model adjusted for intrasite correlation, assessment was less likely during months 8-12 and 13-18 of the study period [OR=0.39 (CI=0.28-0.54) and OR=0.48 (95% CI=0.35-0.68), respectively] and more likely to occur among veterans receiving depression or posttraumatic stress disorder diagnoses on the day of depression screening [OR=1.83 (CI=1.36-2.46) and OR=1.50 (CI=1.13-1.98), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS Most veterans with positive depression screens receive timely BSAs for suicidal ideation. Processes used for brief assessment for suicidal ideation vary substantially across VA settings.

Mental health utilization of new-to-care Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans following suicidal ideation assessment

OBJECTIVE Traditional analytic approaches may oversimplify the mechanisms by which interventions effect change. Transition probability models can quantify both symptom improvement and sustained reduction in symptoms. We sought to quantify transition probabilities between higher and lower states for four outcome variables and to compare two treatment arms with respect to these transitions. METHOD Secondary analysis of a year-long collaborative care intervention for chronic musculoskeletal pain in veterans. Forty-two clinicians were randomized to intervention or treatment as usual (TAU), with 401 patients nested within clinician. The outcome variables, pain intensity, pain interference, depression and disability scores were dichotomized (lower/higher). Probabilities of symptom improvement (transitioning from higher to lower) or sustained reduction (remaining lower) were compared between intervention and TAU groups at 0- to 3-, 3- to 6- and 6- to 12-month intervals. General estimating equations quantified the effect of the intervention on transitions. RESULTS In adjusted models, the intervention group showed about 1.5 times greater odds of both symptom improvement and sustained reduction compared to TAU, for all the outcomes except disability. CONCLUSIONS Despite no formal relapse prevention program, intervention patients were more likely than TAU patients to experience continued relief from depression and pain. Collaborative care interventions may provide benefits beyond just symptom reduction.