Efficacy of Interdisciplinary Treatment for Chronic Nonmalignant Pain Patients in Japan

Abstract

Our results suggest that an interdisciplinary treatment based upon the biopsychosocial model of pain was associated with significant improvement in multiple outcomes in this sample of Japanese patients with chronic pain.

Effective Canadian policy to reduce harms from prescription opioids: learning from past failures

“…19 Although opioids are generally available and concerns about undertreatment of pain exist, alternative approaches and tools for the treatment of chronic pain are emphasized, with substantially lower quantities of opioids prescribed. [46][47][48] Overall, medical system culture -including less commercialization in health care and less influence from the pharmaceutical industry and advertising -has been found to play a role in differentiating levels of opioid use in different contexts: some practices rely less on pharmacotherapy to deal with pain. 49,50 Consequently, opioid-related harms as observed in North America are considered uncommon elsewhere (e.g., in Europe).…”

Self-management of chronic pain in Malaysian patients: effectiveness trial with 1-year follow-up

“…The only other study that has included pain self-management in an Asian country was reported by Kitahara et al [18] from Japan. This study found that an interdisciplinary approach (that included some cognitive and behavioural methods) with individual chronic pain patients was helpful in improving levels of pain and activity as well as reducing use of inappropriate medication.…”

“…Why there have not been more such studies from Asia is unclear, but it may reflect the limited pain clinic and rehabilitation resources in this region [18, 27]. Our experience in Malaysia is that injured workers are expected to return to work despite persistent pain, especially if the ‘usual’ healing period for that particular injury has passed and the only reason cited for not returning to work is pain.…”

“…Two uncontrolled studies have reported promising results with similar approaches in Asian countries. Kitahara et al [18] reported that an interdisciplinary approach (including some cognitive and behavioural methods) with individual patients in Japan was helpful in improving levels of pain and activity as well as reducing use of unhelpful medication. In Hong Kong, a group-based cognitive–behavioural pain management programme [20] reported substantial improvements in functional measures, but less marked changes in psychological dimensions.…”

Healthcare professionals’ perceptions of psychological treatment for chronic pain in Singapore: challenges, barriers, and the way forward

“…At least in Europe and North America, the multidisciplinary pain management approach, based on a biopsychosocial model and including CBT, has been widely recommended as a standard chronic pain management treatment approach [13][14]. This approach is less common in Southeast Asia [15][16].…”