Pain Education Program Optimization (PEPO) Trial

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two different modes of delivering a self-management program for chronic pain (independently vs. with additional support) on pain-related disability.

Participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain will take part in a 10-week online pain self-management program. For the participants in the group with additional support, the intervention will also include two physiotherapist-led sessions and one group session with other participants.

The hypothesis is that the results will support that both modes of delivery could be effective, but the self-management program with additional support will be more effective for reducing pain intensity and pain disability compared to the self-management program alone.

Conditions

• Chronic Pain
• Musculoskeletal Pain

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Pain self-management program

Agir pour moi (Acting for me) is a chronic pain self-management program designed to be followed independently online. The eight modules, normally spread over eight weeks and taking about 60 to 90 minutes per week to complete, focus on different strategies for managing pain on a daily basis. The structured lessons include videos, audio capsules, activities, and written information, also provided in an audio format. The program covers goal setting, stress management through relaxation, breathing and mindfulness, pacing, physical activity, thoughts and emotions, sleep, nutrition, flare-up management, and planning. The program was developed through a partnership between various chronic pain interest groups, and is hosted and managed by the Leadership Chair in Chronic Pain Education.-MEDISCA de l'Université Laval, Québec, Canada. See ClinicalTrials entry NCT05319652 https://gerermadouleur.ca/agir-pour-moi/

BEHAVIORAL

Additional support for self-management program

This intervention is designed to give extra support to patients completing the online pain education program. It consists of two visits with a physiotherapist, and one group session led by a peer living with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Sessions with the physiotherapist will occur at the beginning of the program and at the midway point. They will be used first to present the objectives and the components of the self-management program, to reinforce its potential to improve the participant's ability to manage their pain, and then to answer the participant's questions on the program and follow up on the regular completion of the lessons. The group session will be co-facilitated by a physiotherapist and a patient-partner, and will include participants who have completed at least six weeks of the program. It will serve as a discussion forum to share helpful pain self-management strategies, lived experiences with pain and facilitators in completing the program.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Quebec Pain Research Network

  collaborator OTHER

• Laval University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jean-Sébastien Roy, PhD · Laval University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-12-11

Primary Completion

2024-12-31

Completion

2025-12-31

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations