Akiko Okifuji

Akiko Okifuji, PhD

Languages spoken: English, Japanese

  • Akiko Okifuji, PhD is Professor of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine, at the University of Utah. She is a licensed clinical psychologist who is specialized in pain management. She is also a pain researcher. She has been a principal investigator and co-investigator of various federal and locally funded projects in pain medicine.

    Her current research interests include rehabilitative approaches to fibromyalgia, weight management in chronic pain, women’s health and chronic pain, the cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary pain care approaches, psychosocial and psychophysiology of opioid use/taper, and cognitive-behavioral aspects of chronic pain.

    She is also a member of the treatment team at the University of Utah Pain Management Center, where she provides behavioral medicine services to people with chronic pain.

    Specialties

  • Akiko Okifuji, PhD is Professor of Anesthesiology, Division of Pain Medicine, at the University of Utah. She is a licensed clinical psychologist who is specialized in pain management. She is also a pain researcher. She has been a principal investigator and co-investigator of various federal and locally funded projects in pain medicine.

    Her current research interests include rehabilitative approaches to fibromyalgia, weight management in chronic pain, women’s health and chronic pain, the cost-effectiveness of multidisciplinary pain care approaches, psychosocial and psychophysiology of opioid use/taper, and cognitive-behavioral aspects of chronic pain.

    She is also a member of the treatment team at the University of Utah Pain Management Center, where she provides behavioral medicine services to people with chronic pain.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Anesthesiology -Primary

    Education history

    Fellowship Psychology - University of Pittsburgh Fellow
    Psychology - State University of New York at Binghamton Ph.D.
    Internship Psychiatry - University of Pittsburgh Intern
    Clinical Psychology - State University of New York at Binghamton Ph.D.
    Graduate Training Psychology - State University of New York at Binghamton M.A.
    State University of New York at Stony Brook B.A.

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Cochran G, Shen J, Cox N, Field C, Carlston K, Sengpraseut B, White A, Okifuji A, Jackman C, Haaland B, Ragsdale R, Gordon AJ, Tarter R (2022). Addressing opioid medication misuse at point of service in community pharmacy: A study protocol for an interdisciplinary behavioral health trial. Contemp Clin Trials, 116, 106759. (Read full article)
    2. Charron E, Okifuji A, Bryan MA, Reese S, Brown JL, Ferguson A, Ghitza UE, Winhusen T, Cochran G (2022). Pain Severity and Interference and Substance Use Among Community Pharmacy Patients Prescribed Opioids: A Secondary Analysis of the PHARMSCREEN Study. J Pain. (Read full article)
    3. Okifuji A, Mitsunaga R, Kida Y, Donaldson GW (2021). The visual time analog scale: simple, novel measurement approach to assess pain in patients with chronic pain. Pain Manag, 11(4), 357-368. (Read full article)
    4. Brogan SE, Sindt JE, Jackman CM, White J, Wilding V, Okifuji A (2019). Prospective Association of Serum Opioid Levels and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Cancer Pain Treated With Intrathecal Opioid Therapy. Anesth Analg, 130(4), 1035-1044. (Read full article)
    5. Lamers OA, Kuck K, Okifuji A, Stuart AR, Johnson KB, Rijsdijk M (2019). Opioid-related beliefs and prescription modalities for postoperative pain of Dutch and American physicians. Pain Manag, 9(3), 239-250. (Read full article)
    6. Okifuji A, Neikrug A (2019). Update and future perspective of behavioral medicine in the treatment for chronic pain. Pain Manag, 9(2), 161-173. (Read full article)
    7. Iacob E, Hagn EE, Sindt J, Brogan S, Tadler SC, Kennington KS, Hare BD, Bokat CE, Donaldson GW, Okifuji A, Junkins SR (2017). Tertiary Care Clinical Experience with Intravenous Lidocaine Infusions for the Treatment of Chronic Pain. Pain Med, 19(6), 1245-1253. (Read full article)
    8. Neikrug AB, Donaldson G, Iacob E, Williams SL, Hamilton CA, Okifuji A (2017). Activity rhythms and clinical correlates in fibromyalgia. Pain, 158(8), 1417-1429. (Read full article)
    9. Okifuji A, Donaldson GW (2014). Use of ecological momentary assessment to monitor fibromyalgia. Pain Manag, 1(3), 195-7. (Read full article)

    Other

    1. White A, Lundahl B, Bryan MA, Okifuji A, Smid M, Gordon AJ, Carlston K, Silipigni J, Abdullah W, Krans EE, Kenney A, Cochran G (2021). Pregnancy and the Opioid Crisis: Heightened Effects of COVID-19. J Addict Med (16(1), pp. e2-e4). United States. (Read full article)
    2. Umeda M, Okifuji A (2020). Comparable conditioned pain modulation and augmented blood pressure responses to cold pressor test among resistance exercisers compared to healthy controls. Biol Psychol (153, p. 107889). Netherlands. (Read full article)