Background: Chronic pain is a prevalent condition, experienced by 15.3% to 55% of\nCanadians, that is diffcult to manage. With their broad accessibility and expertise on drugs,\nprimary care pharmacists can help patients optimize their pain management. Methods: The objective\nof this study is to examine the effectiveness of a primary care, pharmacist-driven chronic pain\nintervention on pain and quality of life in patients with chronic non-cancer pain. A three-month\nnaturalistic prospective study was conducted in primary care settings (five community pharmacies\nand one Family Health Team) across Ontario, Canada with a total of six pharmacists and 19 study\nparticipants. The primary care, pharmacist-driven chronic pain intervention consisted of patient\nassessments, medication reviews, care plan recommendations, and patient education. In order to\nevaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, pain intensity, pain interference, and quality of life were\nevaluated at baseline and at follow up (week 2 and month 3). Results: Trends towards improvement\nin pain and quality of life were found, however, these improvements were not statistically significant\nat follow up (month 3). Conclusions: This study provides the foundational research required\nto better understand the impact of Ontario pharmacistsâ?? extended role in pain management in\nnon-cancer patients within multiple primary care settings (e.g., Family Health Team, etc.) and has\nillustrated the importance of modifying and customizing care plans in patients with chronic pain.\nA larger sample size with tailored outcome measures may be necessary to better highlight significant\nimprovements in pain and quality of life in patients with chronic non-cancer pain using a primary\ncare, pharmacist-driven intervention.
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