Support, Training, and Education for Pain Self-Management Using Podcasts: A Pilot Trial (STEP-UP)

University of Michigan

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: STEP-UP

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT06185101

5P30AG022845-20 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

HUM00240183

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized Stage 1 pilot trial tests the feasibility of a community health worker (CHW) delivered chronic pain self-management intervention for older adults ("STEP-UP"; Support, Training, and Education for Pain Self-Management - Using Podcasts) in a primary care setting. A total of 40 participants aged 50+ with high-impact chronic pain will be randomized to intervention or control groups. The STEP-UP intervention will feature an educational podcast series teaching core pain self-management skills. Podcasts will be supplemented by sessions with a Community Health Worker taking place at designated times over a 7-week period. The Community Health Worker will guide participants in a modified Patient Priorities of Care approach to help them identify their values and priorities and develop goals that reflect these.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age > 50 years
• Have a mobile or landline phone
• Report high-impact chronic musculoskeletal pain (defined as pain in muscles or joints for > 3 months "most days" or "every day" on a scale of never, some days, most days, or every day) AND their pain limited life or work activities over the past 3 months "most days" or "every day"
• Have not participated in another chronic pain self-management intervention in the last 5 years.
• Able to converse comfortably in English

Exclusion criteria

• Serious acute illness or hospitalization in the last month;
• Planned major surgery in the next three months that would interfere with program participation (e.g., knee or hip replacement)
• Severe cognitive impairment or other severe physical or psychiatric disorder judged by the study team to pose a significant barrier to participation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

STEP-UP intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will engage in a behavioral intervention for pain self-management that incorporates educational podcasts and sessions with a community health worker.

Treatment:

Behavioral: STEP-UP

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Members of the control group will not initially receive the STEP-UP intervention. After completing the 8-week follow-up telephone survey, individuals in the control group will be invited to take part in the STEP-UP intervention.