Photo Credit: Ratz Attila

The following is a summary of “Attitudes Toward Patient Engagement in Clinical Pain Research: Insights from Individuals with Chronic Pain in the United States,” published in the March 2025 issue of Journal of Pain by Holze et al. 

The value of involving individuals with lived experience in chronic pain research is recognized, but the perspectives of those without prior research participation remain underexplored.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate attitudes, preferences, and barriers to research engagement among adults living with chronic pain in the United States (US).  

They carried out an online survey designed in collaboration with an advisory board and community engagement studio and distributed it through Qualtrics panels from December 2023 to January 2024. Quotas for age, gender, and race were implemented following the 2020 US Census to ensure a representative sample.  

The results showed that among 505 participants, 267 (53%) had chronic low back pain, and 144 (22%) experienced headaches or migraines. A majority (65%–79%) were familiar with medical research, and 64% (n = 327) showed interest in participating as research partners. Key motivators included contributing to others, gaining knowledge about their condition, and receiving compensation, while barriers involved time constraints, lack of payment, and privacy concerns. Interest in research participation was higher among younger individuals (Chi-square P = 0.04) and those with higher education (Chi-square P = 0.01).  

Investigators concluded that successful engagement strategies required barrier reduction and meaningful opportunities and that further research, including international perspectives, was needed to enhance patient engagement in chronic pain research. 

Source: jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(25)00585-1/abstract