Strategies to Assist with Management of Pain (STAMP), Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Utah, 2017-2024 (ICPSR 39154)

Version Date: Apr 22, 2026

Cite this study |

Principal Investigator(s):
Aleksandra Zgierska, Pennsylvania State University; Bruce Barrett, University of Wisconsin-Madison

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39154.v2

Version V2 ()

  • V2 [2026-04-22]
  • V1 [2025-08-06] unpublished
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Alternate Title

STAMP, 2017-2024

Summary

Chronic low back pain is a leading cause of disability and reduced quality of life for nearly 100 million individuals in the United States. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of these individuals are prescribed opioids for treating their chronic low back pain. Limited data exists on the long-term efficacy of opioid treatment while much concern exists regarding the harm they can do to a person. Despite medication treatment patients still suffer from inadequate pain relief, impaired function, and quality of life.

This study sought to compare the long-term effectiveness of two types of alternative therapy approaches - mindfulness based therapy (MBT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) - for treating chronic low back pain especially those being treated by opioids.

Citation

Zgierska, Aleksandra, and Barrett, Bruce. Strategies to Assist with Management of Pain (STAMP), Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Utah, 2017-2024. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2026-04-22. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39154.v2

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Funding

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) (OPD-1601-33860)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Restrictions

Access to the data in this collection is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reason for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

2017 -- 2024

Data Collection Notes

  1. The variable PARTICIPANT_ID can be used to link the individual files together. Each of the three data files contains the same 770 cases.
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Study Purpose

The purpose of this study was to to rigorously assess and compare the effectiveness of mindfulness-based (MBT) versus cognitive behavioral (CBT) therapies among adults with opioid-treated chronic low back pain (CLBP), and elucidate factors that would predict who could benefit most from each treatment. The two primary treatment response assessments to measure patient centered outcomes were:

  • Aim 1: Pain severity decreases while bodily function increases
  • Aim 2: Quality of life increases while daily opioid use / dose decreases

    • Study Design

    Survey data (DS1) was primarily completed online by participants' direct entry into the secure REDCap database developed for this study, using a study-designated tablet or laptop during an in-person visit. Participants could also complete surveys at home after receiving a specific electronic email link. Data collection for DS2 and DS3 were done primarily in person or via the telephone.

    Study participants were equally assigned to one of the two types of alternative therapies (Mindfulness Based Therapy (MBT) or Cognitive Based Therapy (CBT)). Each group was to receive eight weekly 2-hour group sessions plus home practice. Follow-up data collection occurred four times at 3-month intervals after the baseline interview. Inclusion requirements were:

  • English speaking
  • Aged 21 years or older
  • Diagnosed with chronic low back pain (defined as a pain in lumbosacral region or sciatica for 3 or more months)
  • Self report of daily pain score of GE 3 on a 0-10 scale
  • Treated with GE 15 mg/day of morphine-equivalent dose for GE 3 months
  • Moderate disability score on Oswestry Disability Index (GE 21)

    • Sample

    Participant recruitment occurred at primary care and specialty clinics from the three target states, along with efforts out in the local communities. Participants were not excluded based on anxiety, depression, or substance use as those were common characteristics of the target population. The goal was to screen approximately 1,250 individuals from each of the three states with an expectation that about 450 of those individuals would be eligible for the study. From that pool there was a hope for a target sample size of around 250 study participants per state. Please see Section C starting on page 5 of the User Guide for further information.

    Time Method

    Longitudinal: Panel

    Universe

    English speaking adults with opioid-treated chronic low back pain.

    Unit(s) of Observation

    Individual

    Data Type(s)

    Mode of Data Collection

    Description of Variables

    DS1: Survey Data

  • 770 cases and 868 variables
  • Contains time periods Baseline, M3, M6, M9, and M12
  • Questions for time periods M3 and M9 are identical
  • The following scales / sections are asked in all 5 time periods - BPI, ODI, SF-12, HADS, OCC, COMM, HCUP
  • The following scales / sections are only asked during the Baseline, M6, and M12 time periods - NIH, PD, PCS, CPAQ-R, MAAS, PTSD, LS, and FLS
    •

    DS2: Medication Data

  • 770 cases and 842 variables
  • Contains time periods Baseline, M3, M6, M9, and M12
  • Entries for up to 8 medications with follow-up information for type, strength, quantity, and frequency
  • Entries for 14 days counting backwards 14 to 1 with the number of each of the 8 medications taken on that particular day
    •

    DS3: Intervention Adherence Data

  • 770 cases and 187 variables
  • Contains time periods M3, M6, M9, and M12
  • Each time period contains 14 days counting backwards 14 to 1
  • Each day contains 3 variables - date, minutes spent doing in-home therapy practice, and a spot for personal comments

    • Presence of Common Scales

  • Brief Pain Inventory (BPI)
  • Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
  • SF-12v2 Health Survey
  • Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
  • Opioid Compliance Checklist (OCC)
  • Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM)
  • Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)
  • Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire - Revised (CPAQ-R)
  • Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)
  • Primary Care PTSD Screener (PC-PTSD)
  • Short Opiate Withdrawal Scale (SOWS)

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    Original Release Date

    2025-08-06

    Version History

    2026-04-22 The Principal Investigators provided an updated data file for DS1. They updated the variables B_DEMO_AGE and B_DEMO_AGE_DECL. No changes were made to DS2, DS3, or any other documentation.

    2025-08-06 ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:

    • Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.

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    Weight

    None

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    Notes

    • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

    • ICPSR usually offers files in multiple formats for researchers to be able to access data and documentation in formats that work well within their needs. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR’s Accessibility Center.

    • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.