. 2023 Aug;35(8):1215-1223.

doi: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1902936. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

The Global Task Force for Chronic Pain in People with HIV (PWH): Developing a research agenda in an emerging field

Jessica S Merlin^{1

2}, M Hamm³, F de Abril Cameron^{2

3}, V Baker⁴, D A Brown^{4

5}, C L Cherry^{6

7}, E J Edelman⁸, M Evangeli⁹, R Harding⁴, J Josh¹⁰, H I Kemp¹¹, C Lichius², V J Madden¹², K Nkhoma⁴, K K O'Brien¹³, R Parker¹², A Rice¹¹, J Robinson-Papp¹⁴, C A Sabin¹⁵, D Slawek¹⁶, W Scott¹⁷, J I Tsui¹⁸, L A Uebelacker¹⁹, A L Wadley²⁰, B R Goodin²¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
² Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
³ Qualitative, Evaluation, and Stakeholder Engagement Research Services, Center for Research on Health Care Data Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁴ Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, Cicely Saunders Institute, King's College London, London, UK.
⁵ Therapies Department, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
⁶ Alfred Health, Monash University and Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
⁷ University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁸ Yale Schools of Medicine and Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK.
¹⁰ British HIV Association (BHIVA), London, UK.
¹¹ Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.
¹² Pain Management Unit, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
¹³ Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Sciences Institute (RSI), Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
¹⁴ Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
¹⁵ Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
¹⁶ Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
¹⁷ Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
¹⁸ University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
¹⁹ Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI, USA.
²⁰ Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
²¹ Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

PMID: 33745403
PMCID: PMC10758698
DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1902936

The Global Task Force for Chronic Pain in People with HIV (PWH): Developing a research agenda in an emerging field

Jessica S Merlin et al. AIDS Care. 2023 Aug.

. 2023 Aug;35(8):1215-1223.

doi: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1902936. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of General Internal Medicine, Section of Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
² Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
³ Qualitative, Evaluation, and Stakeholder Engagement Research Services, Center for Research on Health Care Data Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁴ Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, Cicely Saunders Institute, King's College London, London, UK.
⁵ Therapies Department, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
⁶ Alfred Health, Monash University and Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
⁷ University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
⁸ Yale Schools of Medicine and Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK.
¹⁰ British HIV Association (BHIVA), London, UK.
¹¹ Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK.
¹² Pain Management Unit, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
¹³ Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Sciences Institute (RSI), Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (IHPME), University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
¹⁴ Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
¹⁵ Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
¹⁶ Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
¹⁷ Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
¹⁸ University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
¹⁹ Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI, USA.
²⁰ Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
²¹ Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

PMID: 33745403
PMCID: PMC10758698
DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1902936

Abstract

Chronic pain is a common comorbidity in people with HIV (PWH), with prevalence estimates of 25-85%. Research in this area is growing, but significant gaps remain. A Global Task Force of HIV experts was organized to brainstorm a scientific agenda and identify measurement domains critical to advancing research in this field. Experts were identified through literature searches and snowball sampling. Two online questionnaires were developed by Task Force members. Questionnaire 1 asked participants to identify knowledge gaps in the field of HIV and chronic pain and identify measurement domains in studies of chronic pain in PWH. Responses were ranked in order of importance in Questionnaire 2, which was followed by a group discussion. 29 experts completed Questionnaire 1, 25 completed Questionnaire 2, and 21 participated in the group. Many important clinical and research priorities emerged, including the need to examine etiologies of chronic pain in PWH. Pain-related measurement domains were discussed, with a primary focus on domains that could be assessed in a standardized manner across various cohorts that include PWH in different countries. We collaboratively identified clinical and research priorities, as well as gaps in standardization of measurement domains, that can be used to move the field forward.

Keywords: HIV; global health; opioid; pain.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest statement:

Dr. Uebelacker’s spouse is employed by Abbvie Pharmaceuticals. Otherwise, the authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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The Global Task Force for Chronic Pain in People with HIV (PWH): Developing a research agenda in an emerging field

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The Global Task Force for Chronic Pain in People with HIV (PWH): Developing a research agenda in an emerging field

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