Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42277872›Full record

ArticleSubstance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy2026

Exploring chronic pain and other clinical characteristics in drug treatment court participants.

Abigail Helm, Paige M Shaffer, Michael Andre, Eleni Kachadoorian, Sheila Casey, David Smelson

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Abigail HelmDepartment of Medicine, Division of Health Systems Science, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Shaw Building, 419 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, MA, 01605, USA. Abigail.Helm@umassmed.edu.
Paige M ShafferDepartment of Medicine, Division of Health Systems Science, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Shaw Building, 419 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, MA, 01605, USA.
Michael AndreDepartment of Medicine, Division of Health Systems Science, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Shaw Building, 419 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, MA, 01605, USA.
Eleni KachadoorianDepartment of Medicine, Division of Health Systems Science, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Shaw Building, 419 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, MA, 01605, USA.
Sheila CaseyExecutive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court, 1 Pemberton Square, Boston, MA, 02108, USA.
David SmelsonDepartment of Medicine, Division of Health Systems Science, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Shaw Building, 419 Belmont Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, MA, 01605, USA.

Funding

University of Michigan (UM) HEAL Initiative National K12 Clinical Pain Career Development Program (UM-HCPDP)K12NS130673 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Daniel J Clauw, Steven Edward Harte · 2022 to 2026
$12.5M
NINDS NIH HHS K12 NS130673NINDS NIH HHS K12NS130673SAMHSA HHS H79TI081069
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThree out of four participants in Drug Treatment Courts (DTCs) present with co-occurring substance use disorders and mental health disorders (COD). Among individuals with COD outside criminal-legal settings, 71% report chronic pain. However, chronic pain has not been examined in the context of DTC participation. This secondary analysis compared intake treatment needs of DTC participants with COD, stratified by presence or absence of chronic pain history.

methodsParticipants with COD from five DTCs were compared: 61 with chronic pain history (36%) and 109 without (64%). Chronic pain history was defined based on self-reported lifetime chronic pain and/or receipt of prescriptions for chronic pain management. Bivariate analyses compared pain, mental health, alcohol and illicit substance use, criminal-legal, and quality of life factors.

resultsParticipants with chronic pain history reported greater pain severity and pain-related interference with enjoyment and daily activities. A higher proportion of participants with chronic pain history (66%) reported non-medical prescription opioid use compared to those without chronic pain history (16%). They also reported more illicit use of oxycodone (0.05 vs. 0), more opioid overdoses (0.12 vs. 0), and fewer nights in jail (23.50 vs. 54.16). No significant differences emerged in mental health or quality of life.

conclusionsThis work is the first to compare treatment needs of DTC participants with and without chronic pain history, and the sample presented with a high prevalence of chronic pain history. Therefore, DTC programs should assess for chronic pain among participants to incorporate pain management and support participants more effectively.

Indexed as

Chronic PainMental DisordersSubstance-Related DisordersAdultComorbidityFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeChronic painCo-occurring disordersDrug treatment courtsSubstance use

Identifiers

PMID42277872
PMCPMC13483668

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.