PCODR 2026 Summer Program Workshop

Comparing the Effectiveness of Behavioral Interventions for Chronic Pain and Opioid Use

(in person)

This two-day workshop will provide an overview of the design, implementation, and data available from the PCORI-funded pragmatic trial INtegrated Services for Pain: Interventions to Reduce Pain Effectively (INSPIRE). INSPIRE was a large pragmatic trial that compared two behavioral interventions for people experiencing chronic pain who are prescribed opioids. Over 500 patients at three health systems were randomized to either: (1) motivational interviewing plus group cognitive behavioral therapy sessions (MI+CBT) or (2) individual shared decision-making (SDM) discussions with clinicians as part of their routine medical care. The interventions aimed to educate patients, provide coping skills (CBT), and improve communication around their treatment related values and preferences (SDM). The study collected data from electronic medical records about prescribed opioid dosage and self-reported pain interference on daily life and physical functioning from patient surveys. Qualitative data via patient interviews and focus groups supplemented the quantitative data. 

This workshop will cover the study goals and design, interventions, study results, and analytic approaches used in INSPIRE to support reuse of the data. Participants will learn how a mixed methods approach–that includes quantitative and qualitative data analyses–is valuable for clinical trials and health-related research. The workshop will include hands-on activities, guided exercises, and group discussions to foster exploration of individual research interests using the INSPIRE data available from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Data Repository (PCODR). Potential topics include refining research questions, best practices for informed consent using health literacy principles, qualitative data collection techniques, and an overview of the datasets available through PCODR. Early career participants, as well as clinical or public health practitioners interested in patient-centered research, are encouraged to apply. Participants will be using their own laptops. 

Information about the available data can be found on PCODR’s INSPIRE study homepage, and additional details about INSPIRE can be found on the RTI INSPIRE Trial project page.

Prerequisites: 

• Substantive interest in health services or clinical or public health research, particularly about chronic pain or opioid use
• Familiarity with quantitative and/or qualitative research methods
• Experience with statistical methods is helpful, but in-depth knowledge is not needed

Application

More information on the workshop and application will be posted by April 15, 2026.