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Distress tolerance among emergency department patients in acute pain: Associations with substance use treatment
Author(s) -
PacellaLaBarbara Maria L.,
Maltese Caroline,
McConaghy Madelyn,
Porter James,
Young Michael L.,
Suffoletto Brian
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
stress and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1532-2998
pISSN - 1532-3005
DOI - 10.1002/smi.3020
Subject(s) - medicine , emergency department , anxiety , depression (economics) , psychological intervention , odds ratio , substance abuse , psychiatry , distress , demographics , population , intervention (counseling) , physical therapy , clinical psychology , demography , environmental health , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
Abstract Managing acute pain in individuals with a history of substance use disorders (SUD) is complex. Distress tolerance (DT) (e.g., the ability to handle uncomfortable sensations) may serve as an ideal non‐pharmacological intervention target in this population. Among 293 emergency department (ED) patients seeking treatment for pain ( M age = 41; 42% Female; 43% Black), we examined rates of SUD treatment and DT, whether an objective DT task is feasible to conduct in the ED, and relationships between DT and SUD. Patients completed a self‐report DT survey, an objective DT task, and brief surveys of pain, drug use, current or past SUD treatment, and depression/anxiety. Average DT was 18.50 ( SD = 9.4) out of 50; patients with past or current SUD treatment ( n = 43; 14.7%) reported lower DT than patients with no SUD treatment history ( n = 250; 85.3%). Controlling for demographics, depression/anxiety, and pain severity, lower subjective DT (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.05) and objective DT (aOR = 1.02) was associated a current or past history or SUD treatment. Assessing subjective and objective DT in ED patients with acute pain is feasible; interventions aimed at boosting DT may improve outcomes among patients with acute pain and SUD.