An Interventional Response Phenotyping Study in Chronic Low Back Pain: Protocol for a Mechanistic Randomized Controlled Trial.

Evidence-based treatments for chronic low back pain (cLBP) typically work well in only a fraction of patients, and at present there is little guidance regarding what treatment should be used in which patients. Our central hypothesis is that an interventional response phenotyping study can identify individuals with different underlying mechanisms for their pain who thus respond differentially to evidence-based treatments for cLBP. Thus, we will conduct a randomized controlled Sequential, Multiple Assessment, Randomized Trial (SMART) design study in cLBP with the following three aims. Aim 1: Perform an interventional response phenotyping study in a cohort of cLBP patients (n = 400), who will receive a sequence of interventions known to be effective in cLBP. For 4 weeks, all cLBP participants will receive a web-based pain self-management program as part of a run-in period, then individuals who report no or minimal improvement will be randomized to: a) mindfulness-based stress reduction, b) physical therapy and exercise, c) acupressure self-management, and d) duloxetine. After 8 weeks, individuals who remain symptomatic will be re-randomized to a different treatment for an additional 8 weeks. Using those data, we will identify the subsets of participants that respond to each treatment. In Aim 2, we will show that currently available, clinically derived measures, can predict differential responsiveness to the treatments. In Aim 3, a subset of participants will receive deeper phenotyping (n = 160), to identify new experimental measures that predict differential responsiveness to the treatments, as well as to infer mechanisms of action. Deep phenotyping will include functional neuroimaging, quantitative sensory testing, measures of inflammation, and measures of autonomic tone.

Diets for Health: Goals and Guidelines.

Diet is the single most significant risk factor for disability and premature death. Patients and physicians often have difficulty staying abreast of diet trends, many of which focus primarily on weight loss rather than nutrition and health. Recommending an eating style can help patients make positive change. Dietary patterns that support health include the Mediterranean diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the Healthy Eating Plate. These approaches have benefits that include prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. These dietary patterns are supported by strong evidence that promotes a primary focus on unprocessed foods, fruits and vegetables, plant-based fats and proteins, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. Added sugars should be limited to less than 5% to 10% of daily caloric intake. Vegetables (not including potatoes) and fruits should make up one-half of each meal. Carbohydrate sources should primarily include beans/legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. An emphasis on monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, avocados, and nuts, and omega-3 fatty acids, such as flax, cold-water fish, and nuts, helps prevent cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline. A focus on foods rather than macronutrients can assist patients in understanding a healthy diet. Addressing barriers to following a healthy diet and utilizing the entire health care team can assist patients in following these guidelines.

Off the Beaten Path: Caring for People Engaging in Potentially Unsafe Low Evidence Therapies.

Palliative care clinicians regularly care for patients with serious illnesses, many of whom are engaging in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) either alone or along with conventional medical therapies. A subset of these patients may be engaging in therapies that have little or no evidence for efficacy and carry significant potential risks to their health. These therapies, however, may carry a great deal of significance for the patient and family for whom conventional medicine has failed or is otherwise deemed untenable. Dismissing such therapies as "quackery" risks alienating patients and damaging or even severing a therapeutic relationship. When faced with patients who are engaging in potentially unsafe low-evidence therapies (PULETs), clinicians themselves may experience a great deal of moral distress when deciding how to balance supporting the hope PULETs may represent with the principles of nonmaleficence and autonomy. In this article, we will review the definition of PULETs and distinguish them from most CAM therapies. Drawing upon existing writings in the CAM literature, we will then review a framework to evaluate the relative risk/benefit ratio of such therapies followed by a review of the ethical and legal aspects of care. Finally, utilizing existing principles and tools in emotion-based communication, we present a communication approach to foster continued collaboration and care for patients who engage in PULETs.

Faculty and Resident Perspectives of the Complexity of Wellness Program Implementation: A Qualitative Exploration.

Introduction: Developing and implementing a wellness curriculum in a family medicine residency program is a complex process. We developed and implemented a new wellness curriculum in line with the national wellness conversation with a focus on the allocation of dedicated resources, the use of evidence-informed interventions, and the goal to be responsive to the feedback of both residents and residency leadership. Our research aim was to better understand the complexity of wellness curriculum implementation with a focus on identification of challenges to implementation. Methods: We developed a wellness program with structured curricular elements initially focused on evidence-informed skill development that iterated after year 1 to include more process-oriented elements. For the years 2016-2019 we collected and analyzed qualitative, open-ended survey questions, anonymous resident curriculum feedback, and faculty observation forms to assess resident and faculty perspectives on the new curriculum. Results: One hundred eighty-three survey invitations were sent with 122 total responses (66.7% response rate). Forty-eight of 56 residents responded to at least one survey. We analyzed responses along with the additional qualitative data that revealed several themes impacting the work of residency wellness curriculum implementation. These included how to manage curricular time, where the locus of control for the curricular content resides, and how residents and faculty differ in their definitions of wellness. Conclusions: We believe programs will be well positioned if they further investigate the complex structures at play that influence residency wellness, including both systemic factors and individual and community level interventions, and design curriculum that is well-defined, includes essential elements, and is informed by resident participation.

Intimate Partner Violence and Telemedicine Usage and Satisfaction Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has transformed the landscape of telemedicine utilization, shifting from predominantly in-person services to increased virtual encounters. Although telemedicine offers increased accessibility for medical care, many advocates voice concern about utilization and satisfaction with these services among individuals who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) given the unique practical, mental, and physical health challenges many face. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate differences in telemedicine utilization and satisfaction, as well as global health and perceived loneliness, among data-driven patterns of IPV during the early phases of the pandemic. METHODS: In this longitudinal survey study, participants first completed an online survey between May 2019 and February 2020 that assessed social, psychological, and physical functioning, as well as emotional and physical IPV. A follow-up survey sent in May 2020 assessed recent telemedicine use and satisfaction, as well as response to the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Latent class analysis favored 4 classes of IPV that differed based on severity and features of IPV experienced. Although all 4 classes reported high satisfaction with telemedicine, individuals reporting low IPV had the highest satisfaction with telemedicine and the lowest rates of telemedicine utilization. Individuals who experienced IPV, particularly multiple forms of emotional and physical IPV, reported high physical and social concerns and perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians using telemedicine should be aware of the multiple challenges faced by individuals experiencing IPV and take additional steps to ensure their needs are met in a safe way. These results have potentially important clinical and policy implications.

Comparing Resident and Program Director Perspectives on Wellness Curricula: A CERA Study.

Introduction: Mitigating the stress of graduate medical education has been the focus of residency leadership in the United States. This study examined family medicine (FM) resident and program director (PD) satisfaction with current wellness curricula, including perceptions of availability of resources and emphasis on well-being. Methods: The Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance administered online surveys to PDs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, US-based FM residencies, and resident American Academy of Family Physicians members from April to May 2021. The present study included an assessment of wellness curriculum implementation using the Wellness Element Count (WEC), a satisfaction rating with wellness programming, and a single question assessing perceived changes in emphasis on wellness during COVID-19. Results: A total of 242 residents (5% response rate) and 263 PDs (42% response rate) completed the survey. Residents reported lower WEC indicators compared to PDs (P<.001). Overall, 67.8% of resident respondents were satisfied with their program's wellness efforts, compared to 89.3% of PDs ( P<.001). Perceived emphasis on wellness curricula in the program was associated with greater resident satisfaction (OR=2.75, P<.05); less emphasis on wellness was associated with less resident satisfaction (OR=0.15, P<.001). Conclusions: Residents reported overall lower perceived availability and satisfaction with program wellness efforts compared to PDs, suggesting a disparity between perspectives. Ongoing efforts should be directed at encouraging use of available wellness resources and supporting a culture of well-being.

Perceived social support partially mediates the association between childhood abuse and pain-related characteristics.

Higher perceived social support has been shown to buffer the impact of negative stressful events like childhood abuse on health outcomes. Yet, the role of perceived social support as a mediator of the association between childhood abuse and pain-related characteristics is not well understood. The present study explored this premise. Patients (n = 1,542) presenting to a tertiary-care, outpatient pain clinic completed a cross-sectional survey consisting of regularly collected clinical data and validated measures. Path analysis suggested that the impact of childhood abuse on sensory and affective pain-related characteristics was partially explained by perceived emotional support. Survivors of childhood abuse display a more complex clinical pain phenotype and this extends to more negative perceptions of social support. Our findings may reflect processes whereby childhood abuse negatively impacts social relationships across the lifespan, and these negative social perceptions and relationships influence sensory and affective components of pain.

Wellness in the Time of COVID: A CERA Follow-up Survey of Program Directors.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Residency program directors (PDs) are tasked with supporting resident well-being, and a 2018-2019 CERA survey found PDs to be generally satisfied with residency wellness curricula. However, less is known about graduate medical education wellness programming following the unprecedented social and public health stressors of 2020. This study aimed to evaluate PDs' satisfaction with wellness programming and perceived changes in wellness program implementation in the context of these factors. METHODS: An online survey was administered by CERA to the program directors of all ACGME-accredited, US-based family medicine residencies. The survey replicated a 2018 CERA survey and assessed PDs' satisfaction with the wellness curriculum and which wellness curricular elements were currently implemented in the residency. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 263 PDs (42% response rate). There was no difference in total number of wellness curricular elements reported in programs in 2021 (M=9.85) vs 2018 (M=9.57; P=.377). Compared to the 2018 survey, PDs reported increased assessment of resident burnout (P=.02), increased scheduled time for personal needs (P=.002), but decreased scheduled time for interpersonal connection (P=.017). Most PDs reported increased emphasis on wellness and the same or increased access to wellness resources compared to 2018 χ2 indicated no significant difference in PD satisfaction with wellness programming between the two years (P=.84). CONCLUSIONS: Despite significant social and public health challenges to curriculum delivery, family medicine PDs did not perceive significant reductions in wellness programming, and in fact reported increases in some specific curricular elements and an overall increased emphasis on well-being. Future studies should explore the factors that facilitate and impede the implementation of wellness programming.

Centralized pain and pain catastrophizing mediate the association between lifetime abuse history and self-reported pain medication side effects.

BACKGROUND: Self-reported side effects of pain medication are important determinants of treatment course that can affect patient adherence, medication discontinuation and physician decisions. Yet, few studies have investigated patient-level predictors of self-reported pain medication side effects. The present study sought to fill this gap by exploring the impact of physical or sexual abuse history on self-reported pain medication side effects and considered a mediation model in which those effects are transmitted through a centralized pain phenotype and pain catastrophizing. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 3118 patients presenting to a tertiary-care, outpatient pain clinic. RESULTS: Approximately 15% of the sample (n=479) reported a lifetime history of abuse. Patients with a lifetime history of abuse, particularly abuse that occurred in both childhood and adulthood, reported more pain medication side effects compared with patients reporting no abuse history. Furthermore, path analysis showed that a centralized pain phenotype and pain catastrophizing mediated the association between lifetime abuse history and the sum of pain medication side effects. CONCLUSIONS: This suggests that individuals who experience abuse may develop a heightened physiological sensitivity to stimuli, as well as a tendency to interpret stimuli negatively, exaggerate the impact of aversive stimuli and undermine their ability to cope with the stressor. This study highlights the need for physicians to understand patient-level predictors of medication tolerance and to consider a history of abuse and trauma in decisions regarding treatment and medication management.

Getting It Off the Ground: Key Factors Associated With Implementation of Wellness Programs.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many residency programs are developing resident wellness curricula to improve resident well-being and to meet Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education guidelines. However, there is limited guidance on preferred curricular components and implementation. We sought to identify how specific driving factors (eg, having an identified wellness champion with a budget and protected time to develop wellness programs) impact implementation of essential elements of a resident wellness curriculum. METHODS: We surveyed 608 family medicine residency program directors (PDs) in 2018-2019 on available resources for wellness programs, essential wellness elements being implemented, and satisfaction with wellness programming; 251 PDs provided complete responses (42.5% response rate). Linear and logistic regressions were conducted for main analyses. RESULTS: Having an identified wellness champion, protected time, and dedicated budget for wellness were associated with greater implementation of wellness programs and PD satisfaction with wellness programming; of these, funding had the strongest association. Larger programs were implementing more wellness program components. Program setting had no association with implementation. CONCLUSIONS: PDs in programs allocating money and/or faculty time can expect more wellness programming and greater satisfaction with how resident well-being is addressed.

Curriculum development: a how to primer.

Curriculum development is a topic everyone in the field of medical education will encounter. Due to the breadth of ages and types of care provided in Family Medicine, family medicine faculty in particular need to be facile in developing effective curricula for medical students, residents, fellows and for faculty development. In the area of medical education, changing and evolving learning environments, as well as changing requirements necessitate new and innovative curricula to address these evolving needs. The process of developing a medical education curriculum can seem daunting but when broken down into smaller components can become very straightforward and easy to accomplish. This paper focuses on the curriculum development process using a six-step approach: performing a needs assessment, determining content, writing goals and objectives, selecting the educational strategies, implementing the curriculum and, finally, evaluating the curriculum. This process may serve as a template for Family Medicine educators, and all medical educators looking to design (or redesign) their own medical education curriculum.

Making Sense of Family Medicine Resident Wellness Curricula: A Delphi Study of Content Experts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors (AFMRD) Physician Wellness Task Force released a comprehensive Well-Being Action Plan as a guide to help programs create a culture of wellness. The plan, however, does not offer a recommendation as to which elements may be most important, least resource intensive, or most feasible. This study sought to identify the most essential components of the AFMRD's Well-Being Action Plan, as rated by expert panelists using a modified Delphi technique. METHODS: Sixty-eight selected experts were asked to participate; after three rounds of surveys, the final sample included 27 participants (7% residents, 38% MD faculty, 54% behavioral science faculty). RESULTS: Fourteen elements were rated as essential by at least 80% of the participants. These components included interventions at both the system and individual level. Of those elements ranked in the top five by a majority of the panel, all but one do not mention specific curricular content, but rather discusses the nature of a wellness curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: The expert consensus was that an essential curriculum should begin early, be longitudinal, identify a champion, and provide support for self-disclosure of struggles.

Chronic pain: How to approach these 3 common conditions.

Fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and low back pain require multimodal, evidence-based treatment plans. Tailoring those plans to the underlying mechanisms of pain is key.

Targeting gut flora to treat and prevent disease.

There's evidence to suggest that probiotics, prebiotics, and a high-fiber diet can help mange various illnesses. Here's how to translate gut flora research into practice.