JANUARY 16, 2024
Adults in the United States with chronic pain mostly manage their condition with the use of over-the-counter pain relievers, opioid and nonopioid prescriptions, and exercise. However, less than 15% of American adults suffering from chronic pain only use opioids to manage their condition, according to the findings of a recent study.
“Our findings also indicate lower use of nonpharmacologic therapies among those with lower household incomes, lower educational attainment, those residing in
Adults in the United States with chronic pain mostly manage their condition with the use of over-the-counter pain relievers, opioid and nonopioid prescriptions, and exercise. However, less than 15% of American adults suffering from chronic pain only use opioids to manage their condition, according to the findings of a recent study.
“Our findings also indicate lower use of nonpharmacologic therapies among those with lower household incomes, lower educational attainment, those residing in the South and uninsured adults,” study researcher Michaela Rikard, PhD, a health scientist in the Division of Overdose Prevention at the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, in Atlanta, told Pain Medicine News. “These may be reflective of barriers to nonpharmacologic therapies including cost, lack of insurance coverage, transportation challenges, and access to providers and treatments. Stigma related to chronic pain and seeking pain care may also be a factor.”
The study data were sourced from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey and included responses from 7,422 adults who self-reported pain on most days or every day in the past three months (Ann Intern Med 2023;176[11]:1571-1575). Researchers’ primary objective was to estimate the prevalence of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies used among adults with chronic pain in the United States.
The majority of respondents (60.2%) used nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions for their pain, the researchers reported. Respondents most commonly used a combinatorial of nonopioid medications plus a nonpharmacologic therapy to manage their pain (50.9%). Only 26.6% used exclusively pharmacologic therapies, and even fewer used exclusively nonpharmacologic therapies or no pain management therapies (8.4% and 4.8%, respectively).
The most popular pharmacologic therapies utilized were OTC medications, nonopioid prescriptions and opioid prescriptions (75.5%, 31.3% and 13.5%, respectively).
The most common nonpharmacologic pain interventions were exercise, massage for pain, physical therapy/occupational therapy, meditation or other relaxation techniques (55.0%, 17.8%, 17.2% and 16.4%, respectively). The researchers added that spinal manipulation or other chiropractic care (11.4%); therapies such as yoga, tai chi or qigong (8.5%); and cognitive behavioral therapy or other talk therapy (2.6%) were utilized by respondents.
“Public health efforts that increase access to pain management therapies may reduce health inequities and help ensure all persons with chronic pain receive safe and effective pain care,” Rikard concluded. “Health insurers and health systems can contribute to improved pain management and reduce health disparities by increasing access to nonpharmacologic therapies with evidence of effectiveness.”
—Myles Starr
Rikard reported no relevant financial disclosures.
