Effects of Race on Chronic Pain in a Randomized Clinical Trial of Integrative Medical Group Visits

Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care in the US, with estimates of prevalence ranging from 11% to 40% and relatively higher rates in diverse populations. Mindfulness meditation has been associated with significant improvements in pain, depression, physical and mental health, sleep, and overall quality of life. Group medical visits are increasingly common and are effective at treating myriad illnesses including chronic pain. Integrative Medical Group Visits (IMGV) combine mindfulness techniques, evidence based integrative medicine, and medical group visits and can be used as adjuncts to medications, particularly in diverse underserved populations with limited access to non-pharmacological therapies. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of race on the primary pain outcomes and evaluate potential relationships between race and additional patient characteristics in data from a randomized clinical trial of IMGV in socially diverse, marginalized patients suffering from chronic pain and depression. It was hypothesized that there would be racial differences in the effects of IMGV on pain outcomes. Our analyses identified significant racial differences in the response to IMGV. Black subjects had increased pain severity throughout the duration of the 21-week study but were less likely to respond to the pain intervention compared to White subjects. These results may be related to differential comorbidity rates, catastrophizing, and digital health literacy among these participant groups. To improve patient outcomes in similar studies, interactions between pain outcomes and these factors require further investigation to affect levels and trajectory of pain severity and enhance the response to complimentary interventions.