Abstract Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and chronic neuropathic pain (NP) disproportionately affects individuals with unmet healthcare needs, especially those facing health inequities. This scoping review addressed three research questions: (1) What are the characteristics and outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and meditative-based intervention studies, designed to manage NP? (2) Are these intervention studies including participants from populations experiencing h2ealth inequities? (3) Are the interventions customized to meet the needs of people experiencing health inequities? Ten databases were searched for studies focused on the search terms cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, mindfulness meditation, and neuropathic pain. In total, 1732 abstracts were screened and a total of 24 articles from 22 original studies were included. The primary characteristics of the studies showed that 99% of participants had NP attributable to diabetes, cancer, or spinal cord injury. Outcomes were consistent with previous reviews, demonstrating promise for CBT, mindfulness, and meditative-based therapies in relieving NP. However, demographics were poorly reported, and with little diversity among participants. Individuals from groups experiencing health inequities were largely unrepresented. While 55% of studies tailored intervention materials and provided content to support long-term practice, few included long-term follow-ups to evaluate sustained impact. In general, research on this topic has fallen short in including and addressing the needs of people experiencing health inequities. Future research should prioritize broader participant inclusion criteria, involve individuals with lived experience in intervention design and delivery, and conduct long-term follow-ups to enhance the accessibility, relevance, and sustainability of NP interventions.
Buren et al. (Fri,) studied this question.