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Pain Rehabilitation

Chronic Pain, Mental Health, and Analgesic Use Among People with HIV in Atlanta, Georgia: A Retrospective Study

Wednesday, November 1, 2023
6:20 PM – 6:26 PM  
Location: Station 1

    Presenting Author(s)

  • SP

    Sara D. Pullen, PT, DPT, MPH, CHES

    Professor, Co-Director of Emory-World Health Organization Collaborating Centre
    Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Physical Therapy
    Atlanta, Georgia, United States

  • Anjanette C. Nunez, PT, DPT (she/her/hers)

    Assistant Professor, Director of Clinical Education
    Emory University, School of Medicine, Division of Physical Therapy
    Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Research Objectives: People with HIV (PWH) are at higher risk for experiencing trauma, mental health conditions and chronic pain. The complexities of HIV, mental health challenges and chronic pain demand a multi-layered approach to understanding, treating and improving quality of life for PWH. This study aims to first identify patients with documented analgesic use, mental health diagnoses and/or chronic pain in one HIV clinical setting in an area of high HIV prevalence in Atlanta, Georgia: The Ponce de Leon Center. The study also aims to examine the intersection of chronic pain, mental health diagnoses and analgesic use among adults enrolled at this clinical setting.

Design: Retrospective chart review from 2011 to present.

Setting: This retrospective analysis is conducted on the Ponce de Leon Center in Atlanta, Georgia, an HIV clinical setting in an area of high HIV prevalence.

Participants: Inclusion criteria were adults with a diagnosis of HIV in addition to a diagnosis of chronic pain or pain, documented analgesic prescription, and/or mental health conditions.

Interventions: None, this is a retrospective chart analysis.

Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of pain diagnoses, mental health diagnoses, analgesic use and their intersections among the sample population.

Results: n= 15,970 adults with HIV were identified as enrolled at the Ponce de Leon Center starting in 2011. Of those, 14,991 (93.9%) were prescribed analgesics, 6,474 (40.5%) had a pain diagnosis, 3758 (23.5%) had mental health diagnosis, 2283 (14.3%) had all three criteria concurrently.

Conclusions: People with HIV are disproportionately affected by persistent pain and mental health challenges. Examining the intersection of these through the lens of collaborative approach of psychological support and pain management will allow us to better understand, treat and sustain patients in life-saving HIV care.

Author(s) Disclosures: None

Learning Objectives:

  • Upon completion, participant will be able to discuss persistent pain among PWH with a trauma-informed approach to care within the lens of co-occurring mental health diagnoses.
  • Upon completion, participant will be able to discuss the prevalence of analgesic use and mental health conditions among people with HIV.
  • Upon completion, participant will be able to discuss the prevalence of chronic pain and mental health conditions among people with HIV.
  • Upon completion, participant will be able to discuss the prevalence of chronic pain and analgesic use among people with HIV.