TY - JOUR
T1 - Short-Term Findings From Testing EPIO, a Digital Self-Management Program for People Living With Chronic Pain
T2 - Randomized Controlled Trial
AU - Bostrøm, Katrine
AU - Børøsund, Elin
AU - Eide, Hilde
AU - Varsi, Cecilie
AU - Kristjansdottir, Ólöf Birna
AU - Schreurs, Karlein M.G.
AU - Waxenberg, Lori B.
AU - Weiss, Karen E.
AU - Morrison, Eleshia J.
AU - Støle, Hanne Stavenes
AU - Småstuen, Milada Cvancarova
AU - Stubhaug, Audun
AU - Solberg Nes, Lise
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
©Katrine Bostrøm, Elin Børøsund, Hilde Eide, Cecilie Varsi, Ólöf Birna Kristjansdottir, Karlein M G Schreurs, Lori B Waxenberg, Karen E Weiss, Eleshia J Morrison, Hanne Stavenes Støle, Milada Cvancarova Småstuen, Audun Stubhaug, Lise Solberg Nes.
PY - 2023/8/25
Y1 - 2023/8/25
N2 - Background: Chronic pain conditions involve numerous physical and psychological challenges, and while psychosocial self-management interventions can be of benefit for people living with chronic pain, such in-person treatment is not always accessible. Digital self-management approaches could improve this disparity, potentially bolstering outreach and providing easy, relatively low-cost access to pain self-management interventions. Objective: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the short-term efficacy of EPIO (ie, inspired by the Greek goddess for the soothing of pain, Epione), a digital self-management intervention, for people living with chronic pain. Methods: Patients (N=266) were randomly assigned to either the EPIO intervention (n=132) or a care-as-usual control group (n=134). Outcome measures included pain interference (Brief Pain Inventory; primary outcome measure), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), self-regulatory fatigue (Self-Regulatory Fatigue 18 scale), health-related quality of life (SF-36 Short Form Health Survey), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale), and pain acceptance (Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire). Linear regression models used change scores as the dependent variables. Results: The participants were primarily female (210/259, 81.1%), with a median age of 49 (range 22-78) years and a variety of pain conditions. Analyses (n=229) after 3 months revealed no statistically significant changes for the primary outcome of pain interference (P=.84), but significant reductions in the secondary outcomes of depression (mean difference −0.90; P=.03) and self-regulatory fatigue (mean difference −2.76; P=.008) in favor of the intervention group. No other statistically significant changes were observed at 3 months (all P>.05). Participants described EPIO as useful (ie, totally agree or agree; 95/109, 87.2%) and easy to use (101/109, 92.7%), with easily understandable exercises (106/109, 97.2%). Conclusions: Evidence-informed, user-centered digital pain self-management interventions such as EPIO may have the potential to effectively support self-management and improve psychological functioning in the form of reduced symptoms of depression and improved capacity to regulate thoughts, feelings, and behavior for people living with chronic pain.
AB - Background: Chronic pain conditions involve numerous physical and psychological challenges, and while psychosocial self-management interventions can be of benefit for people living with chronic pain, such in-person treatment is not always accessible. Digital self-management approaches could improve this disparity, potentially bolstering outreach and providing easy, relatively low-cost access to pain self-management interventions. Objective: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the short-term efficacy of EPIO (ie, inspired by the Greek goddess for the soothing of pain, Epione), a digital self-management intervention, for people living with chronic pain. Methods: Patients (N=266) were randomly assigned to either the EPIO intervention (n=132) or a care-as-usual control group (n=134). Outcome measures included pain interference (Brief Pain Inventory; primary outcome measure), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), self-regulatory fatigue (Self-Regulatory Fatigue 18 scale), health-related quality of life (SF-36 Short Form Health Survey), pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale), and pain acceptance (Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire). Linear regression models used change scores as the dependent variables. Results: The participants were primarily female (210/259, 81.1%), with a median age of 49 (range 22-78) years and a variety of pain conditions. Analyses (n=229) after 3 months revealed no statistically significant changes for the primary outcome of pain interference (P=.84), but significant reductions in the secondary outcomes of depression (mean difference −0.90; P=.03) and self-regulatory fatigue (mean difference −2.76; P=.008) in favor of the intervention group. No other statistically significant changes were observed at 3 months (all P>.05). Participants described EPIO as useful (ie, totally agree or agree; 95/109, 87.2%) and easy to use (101/109, 92.7%), with easily understandable exercises (106/109, 97.2%). Conclusions: Evidence-informed, user-centered digital pain self-management interventions such as EPIO may have the potential to effectively support self-management and improve psychological functioning in the form of reduced symptoms of depression and improved capacity to regulate thoughts, feelings, and behavior for people living with chronic pain.
KW - acceptance
KW - chronic pain
KW - cognitive behavioral therapy
KW - commitment therapy
KW - digital health
KW - efficacy
KW - self-management
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85168744512
U2 - 10.2196/47284
DO - 10.2196/47284
M3 - Article
C2 - 37624622
AN - SCOPUS:85168744512
SN - 1439-4456
VL - 25
JO - Journal of medical internet research
JF - Journal of medical internet research
M1 - e47284
ER -