Beliefs about non-pharmacological treatment for chronic pain among non-treatment seeking Veterans who are prescribed opioids

J Health Psychol. 2026 May 13:13591053261448990. doi: 10.1177/13591053261448990. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The Veteran Affairs/Department of Defense guidelines for treating chronic pain emphasize non-pharmacological treatments, yet these remain underutilized. Veterans' beliefs about these approaches may contribute to such gaps. Beliefs were examined among Veterans prescribed opioids who were not engaged in non-pharmacological treatments, recruited through Veterans Health Administration electronic medical record queries for a larger randomized control trial. The sample included 131 Veterans (86.3% male; 58.0% non-Hispanic white); over 300 individual beliefs were elicited and coded into eight themes. Veterans primarily expressed skepticism about treatment efficacy and openness to trying non-pharmacological treatments. However, belief endorsement did not differ between those who did and did not initiate treatment following participation. Beliefs were also largely consistent across biological sex and racial groups, with the exception that white and male Veterans more frequently endorsed practical barriers to treatment. Ultimately, Veterans hold complex beliefs, highlighting the need for strategies to understand perceptions and support treatment decision-making.

PMID:42126122 | DOI:10.1177/13591053261448990