Diversity in Research: EPPIC-Net Study

Managing persistent pain continues to be a national health issue, especially when viewed through the prism of the opioid crisis. There continues to be challenges in ways to address the issue of chronic pain, and the effectiveness of our existing medical therapies. Exploring non-pharmacological therapies continues to be an option, however there is limited availability in rural and disadvantaged communities.  

Expansion of treatment options to include more effective, non-opioid and non-addictive pain management strategies remains a national priority. However, there are disparities in the care of patients who experience chronic pain and more broadly, related therapies for those who have traditionally been marginalized by the medical community. While the lack of related research for racial, ethnic, and economically disadvantaged patients who experience pain is vastly understudied, the reason for this disparity should be viewed as multifactorial. Particularly, the motivation for these groups to participate in research can be viewed through the lens of historical and present wrongs on those who identify as members of these groups. 

The success of early phase research studies will depend on the recruitment of a diverse and representative patient population to identify any environmental, cultural, and genetic factors that may account for any observed differences between groups in the treatment of pain. The EPPIC-Net U24 supplement grant has looked to investigate these specific causes for the racial and ethnic disparities that exist among those who identify as Black and Latin-X. This trial required investigators to partner with community organizations and other departments within the Duke Health System to establish focus groups made up of community members. These focus groups allowed the investigative team to hear valuable insights and perspectives to further understand the obstacles that exist in the recruitment and retention of these groups in phase 1 research studies.