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Pain and Chemical Dependency News
The Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain (SOAPP) is a brief,
self-administered screening instrument used to assess suitability of long-term
opioid therapy for chronic pain patients. This study examined the reliability
and validity of the SOAPP as a measure of risk of opioid abuse for patients
on opioid medication. Patients taking opioids for noncancer pain (n=396) from
two pain centers completed the SOAPP before being placed on opioids for pain.
The investigators examined demographics, SOAPP scores, and results of urine
toxicology screens from the patients' medical records. Patients were divided
into two groups of high and low risk of opioid abuse potential based on cutoff
scores of 8 and higher on the SOAPP.
Results showed that patients in the high-risk group were younger, more likely
to be asked to give a urine screen, and had more abnormal urine screens compared
with those in the low-risk group. A combined factor analysis of the SOAPP revealed
five factors labeled 1) history of substance abuse, 2) legal problems, 3) craving
medication, 4) heavy smoking, and 5) mood swings. Preliminary support was found
for the internal reliability and predictive validity of the SOAPP. Current limitations
of the SOAPP and future directions for change are discussed. Akbik H, Butler
SF, Budman SH, Fernandez K, Katz NP, Jamison RN. Adapted from J Pain Symptom
Manage. 2006 Sep;32(3):287-293.
PMID 16939853
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
Credit: PubMed, developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information
(NCBI) at the
National Library of Medicine (NLM).
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