Relationship Between Opioid Treatment and Nonpharmacological Chronic Pain Management Interventions and Perceived Effectiveness of Managing Chronic Pain in African American Adults

Chronic pain impacts all areas of life for most Americans, but the issue is particularly salient among African Americans (AAs) as they face adverse pain outcomes. There is little understanding of pain management strategies used by AAs to inform pain management recommendations. The purpose of this study, guided by the COM-B model and biopsychosocial theory, was to determine if there were a relationships between opioid treatment and perceived effectiveness of managing chronic pain in AA adults who are 18 years and older as well as between nonpharmacological interventions (physical therapy, chiropractic care, talk therapy, self-management program, yoga, massage) and perceived effectiveness of managing chronic pain in this population using 2019 National Health Interview Survey data. Data from 2525 AA adults experiencing chronic pain were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression which showed there were statistically significant relationships between opioid treatment, physical therapy, and chiropractic care and perceived effectiveness of managing chronic pain for this population with small effects. There were no statistically significant relationships between talk therapy, massage, self-management, and yoga and perceived effectiveness of managing chronic pain in AA adults. Findings suggest AAs may use other and unidentified methods for managing chronic pain. Further research is required to determine these methods and assess their effectiveness in terms of improving pain management outcomes. Healthcare practitioners can use findings to address strategies AAs use to manage chronic pain, which will lead to positive social change.