Can Smoking Cessation Improve Physiological Markers of Chronic Pain Risk in Native American Smokers A Pilot Feasibility Study

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether 4 weeks of confirmed smoking abstinence after financial incentive treatment can improve physiological markers linked to chronic pain risk in adult Native American smokers. The study focuses on understanding how smoking affects pain amplification and pain inhibition, which are thought to be disrupted in Native Americans who experience high rates of chronic pain. This pilot study aims to assess feasibility and gather data on changes in pain regulation associated with smoking cessation. Participants will receive financial incentives to encourage verified smoking abstinence over a 4-week period. This behavioral intervention includes both short-term and long-term rewards designed to support quitting smoking. The study measures various physiological outcomes before starting treatment and after completing 4 weeks of treatment plus 4 weeks of confirmed abstinence. During the study, participants will undergo assessments of pain inhibition, pain-related spinal reflexes, allostatic load, and pain amplification at baseline one day before treatment and after treatment. Secondary outcomes include temporal summation of pain. The study requires participants to own a smartphone with a data plan and be able to communicate in English. Safety and eligibility are carefully monitored, with the total participation spanning the treatment and abstinence verification phases.

Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk IV: Smoking Cessation and Pain