Ambulatory assessment of physical pain, emotional distress and alcohol use



 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to test a theoretical framework for why individuals with chronic pain consume alcohol to manage their pain, in order to better understand the effects of alcohol, as compared to opioid analgesics, on physical pain in daily life. Specific Aims This project will combine experimental and ambulatory assessment methods to investigate three possible and interrelated reasons for using alcohol to manage pain: (1) the similarity of alcohol's analgesic effects to those of prescription opioids, (2) whethr individuals who drink to reduce pain also drink to reduce other forms of stress, specifically emotional distress, and, (3) the association of chronic pain and tension reduction expectancies for alcohol use related to pain and emotional distress. The project will also determine to what degree a baseline pain response obtained under controlled conditions improves prediction of daily life events, such as experience of pain and emotional distress. Method Chronic back pain outpatients who regularly use alcohol, are prescribed and take opioid analgesics, both, or neither, will complete a laboratory pain-induction task to obtain a baseline pain response to a standardized stimulus. Participants will then provide information on alcohol and opioid use, physical pain, [alcohol and opioid use expectancies], and emotional distress in daily life using smartphones over the course of two weeks. Significance This translational research project will apply knowledge gained from basic research on alcohol use to the use of alcohol among chronic pain individuals in daily life. Evidence suggests that these individuals are at increased risk for the development of alcohol use problems. The findings from the current project may aid in the development of interventions that target this population.