Chronic Pain in Older Persons
Over the past several years, CITRA has developed a major area of interest: The problem of chronic pain (CP) in older persons. CP is a highly prevalent, morbid, and costly disorder associated with a substantial burden of suffering in this age group. Evidence-based treatments for CP in the form of self-management programs have been developed for use in the community and have demonstrated efficacy, but have been underutilized by older pain sufferers. Numerous barriers likely exist at the individual, program, and cultural level that have a negative impact on program utilization and are in need of characterization. Partnering with key stakeholders in New York City (NYC), we are using community based participatory research (CBPR) approach to identify these barriers, develop and pilot test methods to successfully address the barriers, and disseminate products generated from these activities using a broad range of community and academic venues.
This topic area incorporates CITRA’s long-standing interest in the causes and consequences of social integration with the substantive interests of a number of CITRA investigators and affiliates. Leadership has come from CITRA Co-Investigator Cary Reid, M. D., Ph.D., (Weill Cornell Medical College), and from a recently-hired faculty member and CITRA affiliate, Anthony Ong, Ph.D. (Human Development, Cornell). The theme of chronic geriatric pain is also ideal for the cross-disciplinary and community-based research that is the hallmark of CITRA.
A grant entitled “Taking Community Action Against Pain” (TCAP) was recently funded to Dr. Reid by the National Institute for Nursing Research, using the R21 mechanism and in response to an RFA entitled Community Participation in Research. TCAP will address the important problem of chronic pain in older persons, using CBPR approaches
Partnering with three senior centers in New York City (each serving a distinct race/ethnicity group), the interdisciplinary investigative team will use CBPR methods to answer the following key scientific questions: 1) What are the major barriers to adoption of and adherence to an evidence-based pain-reduction protocol by seniors with chronic pain? 2) How can the pain protocol be adapted using CBPR to better meet the needs of seniors from three distinct race/ethnicity groups including African American, Hispanic American, and non-Hispanic White Americans? 3) What is the effect of using a CBPR-based program versus a conventional chronic pain program on the effectiveness of the pain protocol?
A number of other activities relating to translational research on chronic pain are underway in CITRA.
Chronic Pain Resources
American Academy of Pain Management
American Chronic Pain Association
American Academy of Pain Management
International Association for the Study of Pain
Contact:
Dr. Cary Reid
mcr2004@med.cornell.edu