Impact of substance use on the workability of persons with chronic pain

Chronic pain is a prevalent disease with an impact on a person’s well-being, quality of life, and workability. Using and abusing of medication and substances for pain management is common. Persons with chronic pain do not only report about the use of analgesics, opioids, and other pain medication, but also about the use of tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, benzodiazepine, and other substances. Although there is knowledge about the workability of persons with chronic pain (Friedli & Gantschnig, 2022; Friedli, Brodbeck, Gantschnig 2023), little is known about how the use of substances support or hinder their work ability. The aim of this study is to map the current and emerging literature regarding the impact of substance use on the workability of persons with chronic pain. To do that, a six-step scoping review was done with the aid of the Covidence application. Our preliminary findings revealed that substance use and misuse predicted reduced work ability/productivity of persons with chronic pain, especially for those undergoing long-term opioid therapy (Gantschnig, et al., 2023). This review provides two practice implications: 1) improve occupational therapy and interprofessional services for people with chronic pain, and 2) recognize research gaps and potential questions for further research in the field.