A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Effectiveness of a Psychoeducational Intervention on the Management of Musculoskeletal Chronic Noncancer Pain

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention on pain intensity management in musculoskeletal chronic noncancer pain and to identify relevant variables and preliminary data to allow the design of a randomized controlled trial.

Design: Two arms parallel randomized pilot study.

Subjects and setting: ADULT PATIENTS WITH MUSCULOSKELETAL CHRONIC NONCANCER PAIN WITH MODERATE-SEVERE INTENSITY TREATED AT PRIMARY HEALTH CENTERS.

Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to a psychoeducational intervention or a control group without intervention. Pain intensity, quality of life, and opioid use were assessed at baseline and at a 1-month follow-up.

Results: The sample consisted of 37 adult patients (intervention group: 19; control group: 18). A significant reduction in pain intensity measured by the Verbal Numerical Rating Scale (p = .02, Cohen's d = 0.57) and improvement in quality of life measured by EuroQol-5D questionnaire (p = .04) were observed in the intervention group compared to the control. This improvement on pain intensity was greater in patients without strong opioid treatment (p = .01, Cohen's d = 1.36). Eighty percent of the strong opioids users in the intervention group reduced their consumption, without changes in the control group.

Conclusions: These findings provide promising support for the beneficial effects of psychoeducation on the intensity of noncancer chronic musculoskeletal pain. Based on the results, future randomized controlled trials are needed.

Keywords: Chronic pain; Pain intensity; Patient education; Quality of life; Self-management.