Dr. Gerold Sibanda, a primary care doctor in rural Greensboro, Ala., said he viewed unequal treatment of pain in black patients as a real problem. Deborah Tucker, Whatley’s chief executive, said the clinics’ white rural patients were the most likely to ask for and abuse opioids. The therapy was part of a study of low-income patients led by Beverly E. Thorn, a University of Alabama psychology professor, to see how the therapy relieved pain compared with only medical treatment. According to Dr. Thorn’s preliminary findings, the group that received cognitive behavioral therapy had significantly less pain and fewer depressive symptoms afterward than a control group that got medical treatment. “It’s about triggering your brain to go to something else, other than the pain,” Ms. Lewis said.

Source: New York Times August 09, 2016 09:00 UTC