None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Chronic pain affects 20% of the adult population in Australia, and can negatively impact all aspects of an individual's life - physical mobility, mood, sleep, occupational functioning and social activities. Our healthcare system cannot cope with the demand of this chronic illness, and community resources have been under-utilised to date. This project, Our Recovery, draws on the 12 Step Consumer-Led Framework used by the Alcoholics Anonymous movement and translates it into an online, evidence-based support program for individuals with chronic pain. This feasibility trial will randomly allocate adults aged 18-65 into the Our Recovery program, or usual care. Treatment satisfaction as well as pain outcomes will be assessed at 3 months and 9 months after commencement of the program. The primary study hypothesis is that individuals participating in the Our Recovery program will report greater pain self-efficacy, less pain-related disability, greater acceptance of pain and better mood, than those receiving usual care. It is also hypothesized that individuals participating in Our Recovery will take fewer pain medications and be performing more hours at work each week (paid and unpaid) than those receiving usual care.
Interventions
The intervention (Our Recovery) is an online, peer-led support program for people living with chronic pain. It consists of 4 components:
1. ‘Features of Recovery’ resources: qualitative research detailing the experiences of people living well with pain will be translated into accessible formats for the community and discussed during group sessions. The information will be presented in the form of single page pdf documents available for download from the website.
2. Group sessions: structured
The intervention (Our Recovery) is an online, peer-led support program for people living with chronic pain. It consists of 4 components: 1. ‘Features of Recovery’ resources: qualitative research detailing the experiences of people living well with pain will be translated into accessible formats for the community and discussed during group sessions. The information will be presented in the form of single page pdf documents available for download from the website. 2. Group sessions: structured 1 hour meetings for no more than 20 people with chronic pain to connect with each other, share experiences, and gain insights into living well with chronic pain. 5 group sessions will be available each week for the 9 months of the study, however attendance is at the discretion of the participant. 3. Peer-coaching: trained peer supporters will provide 30 minute 1-to-1 coaching support sessions to help people understand their pain experience and plan their own recovery. There will be 30 peer coaching sessions available each week, and these will run for the 9 months of the study. Attendance is at the discretion of the participant. 4. Self-directed modules: based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles these modules will encourage self-reflection and support behaviour change. It is likely that 6-8 modules will be developed. Modules can be accessed through the website, and progressed through at the participant's own pace ie. there is no predetermined rate of engagement. Modules will consist of a series of 6-8 ACT concepts as applied to the context of chronic pain, using text and accompanying visual illustrations. Participants will be asked to provide a written reflection to that concept in relation to their own lived experience of pain in a free text box at the end of each module. Modules will be take approximately 30 minutes to complete each, and will be accessible for the 9 months of the study period. The program will be delivered by peers with lived experience of chronic pain, who have undergone training in providing peer support. The study will have a 6 month recruitment window, and run for 9 months. Participants can access the various program offerings (individual sessions, group sessions, self directed modules) as little or as often as they like during the 9 month period. Participants will access the program via the study website only. The Our Recovery website has been created (https://www.ourrecovery.org.au/) however the materials and content will be designed as part of this study. Website analytics will be used to gather information on program engagement, and session attendance data will be taken from the Zoom platform.
Sponsors
University of Technology Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Adults with chronic pain who have accessed multidisciplinary pain treatment within 3 months of their referral to the program.
Exclusion criteria
Awaiting invasive treatment for pain [e.g. Dorsal Column Stimulation (DCS), surgery]; oral morphine equivalent daily dose > 100mg; mental health condition requiring urgent intervention; involvement in a third party claim
Outcome results
None listed