Distress tolerance among emergency department patients in acute pain: Associations with substance use treatment

Managing acute pain in individuals with a history of substance use disorders (SUD) is complex. Distress tolerance (DT) (e.g., the ability to handle uncomfortable sensations) may serve as an ideal non-pharmacological intervention target in this population. Among 293 emergency department (ED) patients seeking treatment for pain (M-age = 41; 42% Female; 43% Black), we examined rates of SUD treatment and DT, whether an objective DT task is feasible to conduct in the ED, and relationships between DT and SUD. Patients completed a self-report DT survey, an objective DT task, and brief surveys of pain, drug use, current or past SUD treatment, and depression/anxiety. Average DT was 18.50 (SD = 9.4) out of 50; patients with past or current SUD treatment (n = 43; 14.7%) reported lower DT than patients with no SUD treatment history (n = 250; 85.3%). Controlling for demographics, depression/anxiety, and pain severity, lower subjective DT (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.05) and objective DT (aOR = 1.02) was associated a current or past history or SUD treatment. Assessing subjective and objective DT in ED patients with acute pain is feasible; interventions aimed at boosting DT may improve outcomes among patients with acute pain and SUD.