Improving Treatment of
Pain and Addiction
Tailored Retention and Engagement for Equitable Treatment of OUD and Pain (TREETOP)
Drs. Merlin and Kraemer are MPIs for The Tailored Retention and Engagement for Equitable Treatment of OUD and Pain (TREETOP) clinical research center at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), which is part of the NIH IMPOWR network. TREETOP draws on the NIDA Clinical Trials Network Appalachian (Pennsylvania & West Virginia) and Western States (Oregon) Nodes … Read more
Development and Piloting of an Intervention to Reduce the Impact of Opioid Stigma in Cancer Pain
As part of her KL2 award from the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and with pilot funding from the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Dr. Hailey Bulls completed patient and caregiver interviews to better understand cancer patient experience with opioid stigma. Dr. Bulls is using these data to develop a behavioral intervention … Read more
Opioid Therapy for Pain in Individuals with Metastatic Cancer: Benefits, Harms and Stakeholder Perspectives
The long-term goal of this program of research is to develop interventions that inform opioid-related decision-making for patients with metastatic cancer. Dr. Merlin and her team will use the Behavioral Decision Research framework to create a comprehensive evidence base on which these interventions can be grounded. From here, they will devise and test novel interventions to … Read more
Evaluation of the Efficacy and Mechanism of a Novel Intervention for Chronic Pain Tailored to People Living with HIV
In this two-arm randomized control trial, Dr. Merlin and her team examine the feasibility and preliminary impact of “Skills TO Manage Pain” (STOMP), a novel behavioral intervention tailored to PLWH to improve pain and function with routine care. Recruitment began in August 2019 and is planned to end in August 2022. (Funding Source: NIH/NIMH Grant … Read more
Consensus-Based Approaches to Managing Opioids, Including Opioid Misuse and Addiction, in Ambulatory Palliative Care: Development and Dissemination
In this Delphi study, we will survey clinician members of the American Academy of Hospice (AAHPM), Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), and Palliative Medicine and Palliative Care Research Cooperative Group (PCRC) through an internet-based survey as part of a greater initiative to develop consensus approaches to safe and effective opioid prescribing for pain in … Read more
Impacts of the Opioid Crisis and Optimal Opioid Prescribing Practices by Medical Oncologist for Patients Receiving Active Treatment for Cancer
In this mixed-methods study, Drs. Schenker and Sabik seek a deeper understanding of opioid use and the impact of the opioid crisis to inform ongoing initiatives addressing access barriers and potential opioid-related harms among oncology patients. (Funding Source: NIH/NCI/UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Development Funds) Project-related publication This Is a Different Patient Population: Opioid Prescribing Challenges … Read more
Formative Work to Address Intersecting Prescription Opioid and Chronic Pain Stigma in Cancer Survivors (Supplement to NIH HEAL Initiative)
Dr. Hailey Bulls is a study Co-Investigator leading a qualitative study that focuses on addressing two stigmatizing public health problems experienced by cancer survivors: chronic pain and prescription opioid use. This study will include interviews with cancer survivors, caregivers, and clinicians to identify the contributors and consequences of prescription opioid and chronic pain stigma. (Funding … Read more
Assessing the Transition from Acute to Chronic Cancer Pain (AtTACC Pain) Study
Dr. Hailey Bulls is leading this is a cross-sectional, experimental study funded by a University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Pain Research Challenge Award. The AtTACC Pain study aims to improve identification of patients at high risk for cancer-related pain and develop biopsychosocial phenotypes underlying the transition from acute to chronic pain … Read more
Consensus-Based Algorithms to Address Opioid Misuse Behaviors Among Individuals Prescribed Long-Term Opioid Therapy: Developing Implementation Strategies and Pilot Testing
This pilot trial is aimed at improving treatments for opioid misuse behaviors in patients prescribed long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain. In previous work, Dr. Merlin and her team developed innovative consensus-based algorithms to manage these behaviors. In this project, will develop implementation strategies and operationalize algorithms that address opioid misuse behaviors among individuals receiving … Read more