Insight into chronic pain in the United States: descriptive results from the Prescription Opioid Misuse and Abuse Questionnaire (POMAQ) validation study.

OBJECTIVE

A chronic pain patient sample living in the United States who participated in a cross-sectional study to evaluate the validity and reproducibility of the Prescription Opioid Misuse and Abuse Questionnaire is characterized.

METHODS

Patients with chronic pain identified through electronic medical records as refilling at least one opioid prescription within the prior 3 months were recruited from five United States Department of Defense Military Health System clinics. Patients completed the Prescription Opioid Misuse and Abuse Questionnaire, Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, Medical Outcomes Study: 36-item Short Form, and sociodemographic questions online. Clinical characteristics and electronic medical records for 1 year prior to consent were collected.

RESULTS

809 (86.2%) participants completed the Prescription Opioid Misuse and Abuse Questionnaire. Mean (± standard deviation) age was 55.4 ± 12.7 years; the majority female (55.5%) and white (74.8%). Mean duration of chronic pain was 14.7 ± 10.5 years; the most common pain conditions were lower back pain (76.6%), neck or shoulder pain (60.3%), and osteoarthritis (38.7%). The most commonly prescribed opioids were oxycodone (35.7%), tramadol (34.5%), and hydrocodone (26.9%); 54.8% took one opioid, 44.9% took 2 or more opioids.

DISCUSSION

Participants' health status was poor; pain severity and interference were moderate. Electronic medical record data revealed high healthcare resource utilization. This chronic pain population was severely impacted by their pain condition(s).