Speaker: Dr. Martin CheatleLink opens in a new window, University of Pennsylvania

Title: Pain, Substance Use Disorders and Suicide: Epidemiology, Risk Assessment and Mitigation

Host: Nicole Tang

Abstract: The prevalence of suicidal ideation in patients with chronic non cancer pain is significant, ranging from 20 % to over 50 % and it has been estimated that 40% of patients seeking treatment for substance use disorders report a history of suicide attempts. Individuals coping with both pain and co-morbid substance use disorder are highly susceptible to the risk of suicide. This presentation will highlight the hidden epidemic of suicide in individuals with pain and concomitant substance use disorder, outline unique risk factors in this patient population and discuss pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions to mitigate the risk of suicide.