Further validation of an opioid risk assessment tool: The Brief Risk Interview

Ted Jones, PhD; Samantha Lookatch, MA; Patricia Grant, MS, ANP-C; Janice McIntyre, MS, ANP-C; Todd Moore, PhD

doi:10.5055/jom.2014.0226

Authors

Ted Jones, PhD
Samantha Lookatch, MA
Patricia Grant, MS, ANP-C
Janice McIntyre, MS, ANP-C
Todd Moore, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2014.0226

Keywords:

opioid risk assessment, medication aberrant behavior, opioid treatment

Abstract

Opioids remain a common method of treating chronic pain conditions despite some controversy. In an effort to address some of the risks of opioid medications, opioid risk assessment has become a standard of care when opioids are used to treat a chronic pain condition. Research to date has found that clinical interviews may be superior to currently available patient-completed written questionnaires in identifying patients likely to engage in medication aberrant behavior. The Brief Risk Interview (BRI) has been developed as a risk assessment tool that has the sensitivity of a clinical interview while eliminating the need for the lengthy process of an interview. The current study compared the predictive ability of the BRI with two commonly used patient-completed risk assessment tools: the Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) and the Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain-Revised (SOAPP-R). After clinical staff at a pain practice underwent a 1-hour training program, 124 consecutive new patients were evaluated using the BRI, ORT, and SOAPP-R. Follow-up data found that the BRI was a good predictor of medication aberrant behavior and offered better sensitivity and better overall predictive accuracy than the ORT or the SOAPP-R. Overall, it appears that the BRI is a valid risk assessment tool that, after a brief training session, can be used effectively by pain clinicians. Further study is needed in other practice settings and with larger sample sizes.

Author Biographies

Ted Jones, PhD

Behavioral Medicine Institute, Pain Consultants of East Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

Samantha Lookatch, MA

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee

Patricia Grant, MS, ANP-C

South Shore Neurologic Associates, PC, Patchogue, New York

Janice McIntyre, MS, ANP-C

Peconic Bay Medical Center Palliative Care, Riverhead, New York

Todd Moore, PhD

Associate Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee.

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