A Behavioral Intervention for Depression and Chronic Pain in Primary Care (Relief)

Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain; Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: RELIEF

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT03265210

5P50MH113838 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

1704018104

Details and patient eligibility

About

Chronic pain and depression frequently co-exist in late and mid-life and contribute to increased disability, high health care costs, psychiatric comorbidity, and suicide. The investigators will recruit 60 adults from Weill Cornell Medical Associates primary care practices; participants will be randomized to either Relief (a 9 session behavioral intervention) or usual care/referral for mental health care. Research assessments are conducted with both groups at study entry (Baseline), 6, 9, and 12 weeks.

Enrollment: 73 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 50 years
• PHQ-9 greater than or equal to 10
• Non-cancer related chronic pain, defined as pain during most days over the past 3 months by patient report
• Capacity to consent

Exclusion criteria

• DSM-5 Axis 1 other than depression and anxiety disorders
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) < 24
• Active suicidal ideation, i.e. MADRS Suicide Item greater than or equal to 4
• Severe or life-threatening medical illness.
• Patients on psychotropics, opioids or benzodiazepines will be included if they do not meet DSM-5 criteria for opioid, anxiolytics or other substance abuse disorders

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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73 participants in 2 patient groups

Relief

Experimental group

Description:

Relief relies on a neurobiological model to simplify its behavioral targets and uses mobile technology to augment its interventions. Relief was co-developed with our primary care partners with the goal to be usable by non-physician clinicians of primary care offices eligible to provide billable services.

Treatment:

Behavioral: RELIEF

Referral

No Intervention group

Description:

Referral for mental health based on clinical indication.