LAY SUMMARY In 2020, the Canadian Federal Government launched the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE). A higher proportion of Veterans experience chronic pain than the general population and the Centre wanted to understand what research topics Veterans thought the new Centre should prioritize. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 11 Canadian Veterans living with chronic pain from five provinces. Eight priority areas for future research were determined: 1) pain care in the military, 2) postoperative care in the military, 3) coordination of services through Veterans Affairs Canada, 4) military-to-civilian transition, 5) primary care provider access outside the military, 6) knowledge of pain management among civilian health care providers, 7) engaging Veterans as partners in their care, and 8) identifying effective strategies for chronic pain management. These findings will help guide research efforts of the new CPCoE.
Introduction: The prevalence of chronic pain among Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force Veterans released from service between 1998 and 2007 is twice as high as the general population, often co-presenting with a mental health condition. In 2020, the Canadian federal government launched the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE). In this study, Canadian Veterans living with chronic noncancer pain shared their perspectives on research priorities for the Centre. Methods: Eleven Canadian Veterans living with chronic noncancer pain were recruited from five provinces across Canada and participated in semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Analysis revealed eight research priorities: 1) pain care in the military, 2) postoperative care in the military, 3) coordination of services through Veterans Affairs, 4) military-to-civilian transition, 5) primary care provider access outside the military, 6) knowledge of pain management among civilian health care providers, 7) engaging Veterans as partners in their care, and 8) identifying effective strategies for chronic pain management. Discussion: These findings will guide research efforts of the new CPCoE.