| Description |
Chronic pain and depression have become prevalent in society today. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that in 2019, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. were living with a mental illness. In 2016, 20.4% (about 50 million) adults in the U.S. suffered from chronic pain. Having a more comprehensive understanding of how patients with co morbid depression are managed in chronic pain clinics may provide opportunities to enhance care for this patient population. There are multiple chronic pain guidelines that help guide providers in their treatment; however, none of these give any direct care protocols that are known to be best practice. Multiple providers employed in pain clinics throughout the state of Utah were asked to complete a questionnaire that was used to gather information on their current practice and how they screen and/ or manage patients with co morbid depression. Using the Google search engine, a search for pain clinic in Utah provided names of 27 pain clinics. 12 providers completed the survey anonymously. The results showed that while all 12 providers were following chronic pain guidelines, the specifics of the guidelines to which they incorporate are unclear. Additionally, the results showed that the approach to how and when patients were assessed for depression differed, as well as treatments or referral practices. The results support that more research needs to be done into best practices for assessment, treatment, and referral for depression in chronic pain clinics. |
