2024
Guideline concordant opioid therapy in Veterans receiving VA and community care
Ma P, Cheng Y, Goulet J, Sandbrink F, Brandt C, Spevak C, Kean J, Becker W, Libin A, Shara N, Sheriff H, Houston J, Butler J, Workman E, Agrawal R, Kupersmith J, Zeng-Treitler Q. Guideline concordant opioid therapy in Veterans receiving VA and community care. BMC Health Services Research 2024, 24: 1284. PMID: 39456008, PMCID: PMC11515256, DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-11742-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDual-system usersGuideline concordant careConcordant careVA servicesCommunity careElectronic health record dataHealth record dataRates of guideline concordanceVA Medical CenterOpioid therapyAdherence to specific guidelinesBaltimore VA Medical CenterGuideline adherenceGuideline concordanceAdherence ratesGuideline recommendationsRecord dataCareDemographic factorsMedical CenterVeteransComorbid conditionsOpioid crisisUrine drug screensSpecific guidelinesIdentifying provider, patient and practice factors that shape long-term opioid prescribing for cancer pain: a qualitative study of American and Australian providers
Fereydooni S, Lorenz K, Azarfar A, Luckett T, Phillips J, Becker W, Giannitrapani K. Identifying provider, patient and practice factors that shape long-term opioid prescribing for cancer pain: a qualitative study of American and Australian providers. BMJ Open 2024, 14: e082033. PMID: 38514141, PMCID: PMC10961503, DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnalgesics, OpioidAustraliaCancer PainHumansNeoplasmsPainPractice Patterns, Physicians'United StatesConceptsPractice-related factorsLong-term opioid prescribingPrescribed long-term opioid therapyQualitative studyOpioid prescribingQuality of careProvider-related factorsLong-term prescribingPatient’s social contextLong-term opioid therapyAlternative pain therapiesCancer-related painConcurrent qualitative studyDisadvantaged patientsHealthcare interventionsExacerbate disparitiesIdentified providersAustralian providersOpioid practicesSocioeconomic statusSecondary analysisPrescribed opioidsCancer painProvidersPrescribing
2023
NIH HEAL Common Data Elements (CDE) implementation: NIH HEAL Initiative IDEA-CC
Adams M, Hurley R, Siddons A, Topaloglu U, Wandner L, Adams M, Arnsten J, Bao Y, Barry D, Becker W, Fiellin D, Fox A, Ghiroli M, Hanmer J, Horn B, Hurlocker M, Jalal H, Joseph V, Merlin J, Murray-Krezan C, Pearson M, Rogal S, Starrels J, Bachrach R, Witkiewitz K, Vasquez A. NIH HEAL Common Data Elements (CDE) implementation: NIH HEAL Initiative IDEA-CC. Pain Medicine 2023, 24: 743-749. PMID: 36799548, PMCID: PMC10321760, DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnad018.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsCommon Data ElementsHumansNational Institutes of Health (U.S.)Research DesignUnited StatesConceptsClinical trialsClinical Trials NetworkCDE programsChronic painSecondary data analysisPainTrials NetworkDisease statesOpioidData standardsGeographical codingClinical researchHealing initiationData elementsNational InstituteTrialsDisordersFederal investmentInterventionStandard processDisorder researchSurveyed librariesCDELeveraging toolsNetwork alignment
2017
Multiple Sources of Prescription Payment and Risky Opioid Therapy Among Veterans
Becker WC, Fenton BT, Brandt CA, Doyle EL, Francis J, Goulet JL, Moore BA, Torrise V, Kerns RD, Kreiner PW. Multiple Sources of Prescription Payment and Risky Opioid Therapy Among Veterans. Medical Care 2017, 55: s33-s36. PMID: 28410338, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000722.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid therapySource of paymentHigher oddsHigh-dose opioid therapyHigh-risk opioid prescribingMorphine equivalent daily dosePayment sourceOpioid analgesic prescriptionsPrescription monitoring programsEquivalent daily doseCross-sectional studyAnalgesic prescriptionOpioid prescribingBenzodiazepine therapyDaily doseUS veteransFiscal year 2014TherapyPrivate insuranceLogistic regressionRelated harmsPrescription paymentAnalytic sampleOpioidsOddsAbuse-Deterrent Opioid Formulations — Putting the Potential Benefits into Perspective
Becker WC, Fiellin DA. Abuse-Deterrent Opioid Formulations — Putting the Potential Benefits into Perspective. New England Journal Of Medicine 2017, 376: 2103-2105. PMID: 28564568, DOI: 10.1056/nejmp1701553.Peer-Reviewed Educational Materials
2015
Trends in Any and High-Dose Opioid Analgesic Receipt Among Aging Patients With and Without HIV
Becker WC, Gordon K, Jennifer Edelman E, Kerns RD, Crystal S, Dziura JD, Fiellin LE, Gordon AJ, Goulet JL, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. Trends in Any and High-Dose Opioid Analgesic Receipt Among Aging Patients With and Without HIV. AIDS And Behavior 2015, 20: 679-686. PMID: 26384973, PMCID: PMC5006945, DOI: 10.1007/s10461-015-1197-5.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2012
Federal plan for prescriber education on opioids misses opportunities.
Becker WC, Fiellin DA. Federal plan for prescriber education on opioids misses opportunities. Annals Of Internal Medicine 2012, 157: 205-6. PMID: 22868838, DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-157-3-201208070-00448.Peer-Reviewed Educational Materials
2011
Racial Differences in Primary Care Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies
Becker WC, Starrels JL, Heo M, Li X, Weiner MG, Turner BJ. Racial Differences in Primary Care Opioid Risk Reduction Strategies. The Annals Of Family Medicine 2011, 9: 219-225. PMID: 21555749, PMCID: PMC3090430, DOI: 10.1370/afm.1242.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRegular office visitsUrine drug testingOpioid risk-reduction strategiesWhite patientsBlack patientsOffice visitsRisk reduction strategiesOpioid analgesicsEarly refillsDrug testingGuideline-recommended strategiesOpioids long termChronic noncancer painPrimary care patientsHealth care factorsMixed effects regression modelsRace/ethnicityNoncancer painOpioid refillsMedical comorbiditiesRetrospective cohortCare patientsOpioid misuseCare factorsHigher odds
2010
The Safety of Opioid Analgesics in the Elderly: New Data Raise New Concerns: Comment on “The Comparative Safety of Opioids for Nonmalignant Pain in Older Adults”
Becker WC, O'Connor PG. The Safety of Opioid Analgesics in the Elderly: New Data Raise New Concerns: Comment on “The Comparative Safety of Opioids for Nonmalignant Pain in Older Adults”. JAMA Internal Medicine 2010, 170: 1986-1988. PMID: 21149755, DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.443.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAgedAged, 80 and overAnalgesics, OpioidAnti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-SteroidalCardiovascular DiseasesComorbidityContraindicationsCyclooxygenase 2 InhibitorsDrug UtilizationFemaleFractures, BoneGastrointestinal HemorrhageHumansMaleMedicareObservationPainPain MeasurementResearch DesignTherapeutic EquivalencyUnited States
2007
Systematic review: opioid treatment for chronic back pain: prevalence, efficacy, and association with addiction.
Martell BA, O'Connor PG, Kerns RD, Becker WC, Morales KH, Kosten TR, Fiellin DA. Systematic review: opioid treatment for chronic back pain: prevalence, efficacy, and association with addiction. Annals Of Internal Medicine 2007, 146: 116-27. PMID: 17227935, DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-146-2-200701160-00006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic back painSubstance use disordersEfficacy of opioidsBack painMedication-taking behaviorUse disordersOpioid treatmentOpioid medicationsStudy qualityShort-term pain reliefCurrent substance use disorderCochrane Central RegisterLifetime substance use disorderControlled Clinical TrialsLong-term efficacyPoor study qualityEnglish-language studiesTransdermal opioidsOpioid prescribingPain reliefCentral RegisterDifferent opioidsReduced painClinical trialsNonsignificant reduction