2021
Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of gabapentin receipt with and without opioids among a national cohort of patients with HIV
Oldfield BJ, Li Y, Vickers-Smith R, Becker WC, Barry DT, Crystal S, Gordon KS, Kerns RD, Rentsch CT, Marshall BDL, Edelman EJ. Sociodemographic and clinical correlates of gabapentin receipt with and without opioids among a national cohort of patients with HIV. AIDS Care 2021, 34: 1053-1063. PMID: 34114904, PMCID: PMC8664891, DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1939851.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid useHigh dosesSelf-reported opioid useVeterans Aging Cohort StudyHigh-dose opioidsMean daily doseAging Cohort StudyHigh-dose benzodiazepinesNational prospective cohortOpioid doseOpioid receiptCohort studyFoot painProspective cohortDaily doseIndependent predictorsChronic painPain interferenceClinical variablesClinical correlatesNational cohortMultinomial logistic regressionPWHLogistic regressionOpioids
2020
Are we missing opioid-related deaths among people with HIV?
Becker WC, Gordon KS, Edelman EJ, Goulet JL, Kerns RD, Marshall BDL, Fiellin DA, Justice AC, Tate JP. Are we missing opioid-related deaths among people with HIV? Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2020, 212: 108003. PMID: 32417360, PMCID: PMC9580216, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVeterans Aging Cohort StudyOpioid useOverdose deathsLife-limiting conditionsUnnatural deathsGreater oddsAging Cohort StudyVACS IndexOpioid exposureCohort studyHIV infectionHIV statusRisk factorsOdds ratioDeath filesIndex causeHIVDisease severityDeathDecedentsIllicit useDifferential misclassificationOddsCauseOpioids
2019
Signature Informed Consent for Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Patients With Cancer: Perspectives of Patients and Providers
Giannitrapani KF, Fereydooni S, Azarfar A, Silveira MJ, Glassman PA, Midboe AM, Bohnert ABS, Zenoni MA, Kerns RD, Pearlman RA, Asch SM, Becker W, Lorenz KA. Signature Informed Consent for Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Patients With Cancer: Perspectives of Patients and Providers. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management 2019, 59: 49-57. PMID: 31476361, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.08.020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioid therapyCancer-related painOpioid therapyVeterans Health Administration medical centersInformed consentAppropriate literacy levelPerspectives of patientsPatient-provider relationshipCancer-related concernsOpioid useOpioid prescribersPatient interviewsPatient educationMedical CenterPatientsPainProvider perspectivesTherapyCancerConsentLiteracy levelsProvidersPotential disadvantagesEmergent themesOpioids
2018
Racial disparities in discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy following illicit drug use among black and white patients
Gaither JR, Gordon K, Crystal S, Edelman EJ, Kerns RD, Justice AC, Fiellin DA, Becker WC. Racial disparities in discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy following illicit drug use among black and white patients. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2018, 192: 371-376. PMID: 30122319, PMCID: PMC7106601, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.05.033.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioid therapyIllicit drug useUrine drug testsDrug useOpioid therapyWhite racePositive urine drug testDrug testsMonths of treatmentElectronic medical recordsWhite patientsChronic painPatient raceMedical recordsPatientsLogistic regressionOpioidsRacial disparitiesDrug testingCocaineCannabisTherapyCliniciansDiscontinuationPainMixed methods formative evaluation of a collaborative care program to decrease risky opioid prescribing and increase non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management
Becker WC, Mattocks KM, Frank JW, Bair MJ, Jankowski RL, Kerns RD, Painter JT, Fenton BT, Midboe AM, Martino S. Mixed methods formative evaluation of a collaborative care program to decrease risky opioid prescribing and increase non-pharmacologic approaches to pain management. Addictive Behaviors 2018, 86: 138-145. PMID: 29576479, DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.03.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-pharmacologic treatment modalitiesImplementation facilitation strategyPain management providersNon-pharmacologic approachesCollaborative care programPatient-level barriersSemi-structured qualitative phone interviewsClinical pharmacist's roleSystem-level barriersQualitative phone interviewsMixed-methods formative evaluationVeterans Affairs (VA) employeesOpioid prescribingPain managementTreatment modalitiesPharmacist's roleCare programClinical programsChange ScalePhone interviewsOpioidsQualitative themesDescriptive statisticsOrganizational readinessSubsequent rate
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 sampleOpioidsOddsReply to Osborne & Serdarevic (2017): Potential impact of exposure definition when examining non‐medical use of prescription opioids among US veterans
Banerjee G, Edelman EJ, Barry DT, Becker WC, Cerdá M, Crystal S, Gaither JR, Gordon AJ, Gordon KS, Kerns RD, Martins SS, Fiellin DA, Marshall BDL. Reply to Osborne & Serdarevic (2017): Potential impact of exposure definition when examining non‐medical use of prescription opioids among US veterans. Addiction 2017, 112: 1510-1511. PMID: 28608455, DOI: 10.1111/add.13864.Peer-Reviewed Case Reports and Technical NotesImpact of the Opioid Safety Initiative on opioid-related prescribing in veterans
Lin LA, Bohnert ASB, Kerns RD, Clay MA, Ganoczy D, Ilgen MA. Impact of the Opioid Safety Initiative on opioid-related prescribing in veterans. Pain 2017, 158: 833-839. PMID: 28240996, DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000837.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid Safety InitiativeVeterans Health AdministrationConcurrent benzodiazepineDaily opioid dosageElectronic medical record dataOutpatient opioid prescriptionsSafe opioid prescribingOpioid prescribing practicesMedical record dataInterrupted time series analysisSafety initiativesOpioid dosageOpioid prescribingOpioid prescriptionsOpioid regimensOutpatient prescribingVHA patientsPrescribing practicesVHA facilitiesAdverse outcomesSafe prescribingSystem-wide initiativesPrescribingPatientsOpioids
2015
Combined Use of Opioids and Antidepressants in the Treatment of Pain: A Review of Veterans Health Administration Data for Patients with Pain Both With and Without Co-morbid Depression
Sellinger JJ, Sofuoglu M, Kerns RD, Rosenheck RA. Combined Use of Opioids and Antidepressants in the Treatment of Pain: A Review of Veterans Health Administration Data for Patients with Pain Both With and Without Co-morbid Depression. Psychiatric Quarterly 2015, 87: 585-593. PMID: 26646578, DOI: 10.1007/s11126-015-9411-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVeterans Health AdministrationMusculoskeletal painAntidepressant useVeterans Health Administration dataAnnual opioid prescriptionsNational VHA databasesUse of antidepressantsCo-morbid depressionTreatment of painHealth Administration dataMajor depressive disorderNon-depressed groupOpioid therapyAnalgesic benefitOpioid prescribingOpioid prescriptionsPrescribing patternsOpioid useVHA databasesFiscal year 2012Depressive disorderDepression diagnosisPainAntidepressantsOpioidsReceipt of Prescription Opioids in a National Sample of Pregnant Veterans Receiving Veterans Health Administration Care
Kroll-Desrosiers AR, Skanderson M, Bastian LA, Brandt CA, Haskell S, Kerns RD, Mattocks KM. Receipt of Prescription Opioids in a National Sample of Pregnant Veterans Receiving Veterans Health Administration Care. Women's Health Issues 2015, 26: 240-246. PMID: 26549242, DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2015.09.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPrescription opioid usePregnancy windowsOpioid prescriptionsPsychiatric diagnosisWomen veteransPregnant veteransOpioid usePrescription opioidsVeterans Health Administration (VHA) careMultivariable logistic regression modelVeterans Health Administration (VHA) servicesNontraumatic joint disordersPain management strategiesHealth-related variablesLogistic regression modelsPhysical health variablesPotential undertreatmentVHA servicesJoint disordersVHA systemOperation Enduring FreedomBack problemsOpioidsHealth variablesNational databaseLong-term Prescription of Opioids and/or Benzodiazepines and Mortality Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients
Weisberg DF, Gordon KS, Barry DT, Becker WC, Crystal S, Edelman EJ, Gaither J, Gordon AJ, Goulet J, Kerns RD, Moore BA, Tate J, Justice AC, Fiellin DA. Long-term Prescription of Opioids and/or Benzodiazepines and Mortality Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients. JAIDS Journal Of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 2015, 69: 223-233. PMID: 26009831, PMCID: PMC4446730, DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000591.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioidsMorphine equivalent daily doseOpioid receiptRisk of deathLong-term prescriptionUninfected patientsOpioid dosesAntiretroviral therapyHazard ratioDaily dosePropensity scoreHigher opioid dosesCause mortalityHIV statusAvailable patientsMortality riskOpioidsHIVPatientsProspective analysisMortalityBenzodiazepinesDosesDeathRisk
2014
Trends and Regional Variation in Opioid Overdose Mortality Among Veterans Health Administration Patients, Fiscal Year 2001 to 2009
Bohnert AS, Ilgen MA, Trafton JA, Kerns RD, Eisenberg A, Ganoczy D, Blow FC. Trends and Regional Variation in Opioid Overdose Mortality Among Veterans Health Administration Patients, Fiscal Year 2001 to 2009. The Clinical Journal Of Pain 2014, 30: 605-612. PMID: 24281278, DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000000011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVeterans Health Administration patientsOpioid prescribingOverdose ratesNational Health SystemOverdose mortalityNational Death Index recordsHealth systemRate of overdosesPrescription opioid overdosesVeterans Health AdministrationOpioid overdose mortalityOpioid overdose deathsOverdose prevention strategiesPopulation-level associationPatient populationMedical recordsOpioid overdosesSemisynthetic opioidsOverdose deathsGeneral populationOpioid policyPrevention strategiesOpioidsHealth AdministrationPrescribing
2008
Patient race and physicians' decisions to prescribe opioids for chronic low back pain
Burgess DJ, Crowley-Matoka M, Phelan S, Dovidio JF, Kerns R, Roth C, Saha S, van Ryn M. Patient race and physicians' decisions to prescribe opioids for chronic low back pain. Social Science & Medicine 2008, 67: 1852-1860. PMID: 18926612, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic low back painLow back painPatient racePhysician's decisionWhite patientsBack painTreatment decisionsHigh doseAmerican Medical Association Physician MasterfileChronic pain patientsPrimary care physiciansPhysicians' treatment decisionsNon-clinical characteristicsStrong opioidsNonwhite patientsPatient characteristicsPain managementPain patientsBlack patientsCare physiciansPatientsOpioidsPhysician MasterfilePhysician behaviorPatient's verbal behavior