2021
Measuring pain care quality in the Veterans Health Administration primary care setting
Luther SL, Finch DK, Bouayad L, McCart J, Han L, Dobscha SK, Skanderson M, Fodeh SJ, Hahm B, Lee A, Goulet JL, Brandt CA, Kerns RD. Measuring pain care quality in the Veterans Health Administration primary care setting. Pain 2021, 163: e715-e724. PMID: 34724683, PMCID: PMC8920945, DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002477.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPain care qualityPattern of documentationSevere pain intensityFrequency of documentationPresence of painSite of painPrimary care providersPrimary care settingCare quality indicatorsQuality improvement initiativesTotal PCQ scoresPatient characteristicsPain intensityPain carePain impactPCQ scoresCare settingsCare providersMusculoskeletal disordersFurther evaluationPainCare qualityHealthcare facilitiesImprovement initiativesUnique visits
2020
Treatment of a Large Cohort of Veterans Experiencing Musculoskeletal Disorders with Spinal Cord Stimulation in the Veterans Health Administration: Veteran Characteristics and Outcomes
Wandner LD, Fenton BT, Goulet JL, Carroll CM, Heapy A, Higgins DM, Bair MJ, Sandbrink F, Kerns RD. Treatment of a Large Cohort of Veterans Experiencing Musculoskeletal Disorders with Spinal Cord Stimulation in the Veterans Health Administration: Veteran Characteristics and Outcomes. Journal Of Pain Research 2020, 13: 1687-1697. PMID: 32753944, PMCID: PMC7354010, DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s241567.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMusculoskeletal disordersSCS implantsOpioid therapyPain scoresVeterans Health Administration facilitiesSpinal cord stimulator implantationOutcomes of veteransPainful musculoskeletal disordersSpinal cord stimulationVeterans Health AdministrationDepressive disorder diagnosisEvidence of benefitSubstance use disordersPercent of veteransSignificant overall decreaseMSD cohortOpioid doseBMI 25Medical comorbiditiesStimulator implantationChronic painCord stimulationInclusion diagnosisVeteran characteristicsLarge cohortThe Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Pain Intensity Among Veterans with Musculoskeletal Disorders: Findings from the MSD Cohort Study
Higgins DM, Buta E, Heapy AA, Driscoll MA, Kerns RD, Masheb R, Becker WC, Hausmann LRM, Bair MJ, Wandner L, Janke EA, Brandt CA, Goulet JL. The Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Pain Intensity Among Veterans with Musculoskeletal Disorders: Findings from the MSD Cohort Study. Pain Medicine 2020, 21: 2563-2572. PMID: 32186722, PMCID: PMC7778330, DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnaa043.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBody mass indexVeterans Health AdministrationPain intensityMass indexFunction of BMILow back pain groupOdds of painBack pain groupOverweight/obesityElectronic health record dataHealth record dataUS military veteransMusculoskeletal disorder diagnosisCohort studyOsteoarthritis groupPain groupMean ageNational cohortHigh prevalenceMSD diagnosisMusculoskeletal disordersPainHealth AdministrationDisorder diagnosisCross-sectional data
2018
Brief Counseling for Veterans with Musculoskeletal Disorder, Risky Substance Use, and Service Connection Claims
Rosen MI, Becker WC, Black AC, Martino S, Edens EL, Kerns RD. Brief Counseling for Veterans with Musculoskeletal Disorder, Risky Substance Use, and Service Connection Claims. Pain Medicine 2018, 20: 528-542. PMID: 29800338, PMCID: PMC6387983, DOI: 10.1093/pm/pny071.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisky substance useMusculoskeletal disordersSubstance useMean pain severityCourse of illnessPain severity ratingsProportion of veteransScreening Brief InterventionCounseling armPain severityPain treatmentTAU conditionWeek 12Brief counselingEarly interventionOutcome assessmentBrief interventionStudy therapistsTelephone callsVeteransCounseling interventionCounselingInterventionSeverity ratingsDisorders
2017
Gender Differences in Demographic and Clinical Correlates among Veterans with Musculoskeletal Disorders
Higgins DM, Fenton BT, Driscoll MA, Heapy AA, Kerns RD, Bair MJ, Carroll C, Brennan PL, Burgess DJ, Piette JD, Haskell SG, Brandt CA, Goulet JL. Gender Differences in Demographic and Clinical Correlates among Veterans with Musculoskeletal Disorders. Women's Health Issues 2017, 27: 463-470. PMID: 28325585, DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2017.01.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedAnxietyChronic PainCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMigraine DisordersMusculoskeletal DiseasesMusculoskeletal PainPain ManagementSeverity of Illness IndexSex FactorsSocioeconomic FactorsSubstance-Related DisordersUnited StatesUnited States Department of Veterans AffairsVeteransConceptsMusculoskeletal disordersClinical correlatesPain intensity numeric rating scalePain-related disabilityNumeric rating scaleGreater pain intensityDiagnosis of fibromyalgiaBack pain conditionsMental health conditionsSubstance use disordersGender differencesNeck painPain serviceSevere painPain conditionsPain intensityChronic painTemporomandibular disordersPainful conditionsCardiovascular diseaseMigraine headacheHigh riskLower oddsMSD diagnosisUse disorders
2016
The musculoskeletal diagnosis cohort
Goulet JL, Kerns RD, Bair M, Becker W, Brennan P, Burgess DJ, Carroll CM, Dobscha S, Driscoll M, Fenton BT, Fraenkel L, Haskell S, Heapy A, Higgins D, Hoff RA, Hwang U, Justice AC, Piette JD, Sinnott P, Wandner L, Womack J, Brandt CA. The musculoskeletal diagnosis cohort. Pain 2016, 157: 1696-1703. PMID: 27023420, PMCID: PMC4949131, DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000567.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMSD diagnosisMusculoskeletal disordersMSD cohortIndex dateVeterans Health Administration (VHA) careNumeric rating scale scoreICD-9-CM codesCohort inclusion criteriaNontraumatic joint disordersPain-related treatmentsMore outpatient visitsVeterans Health AdministrationMental health diagnosesRating Scale scoresHigher NRS scoresHealth services researchElectronic health recordsDiagnosis cohortSevere painInpatient visitsNRS scoresOutpatient visitsNeck disordersFirst diagnosisMean age