title: A Pilot Study of a Mobile Health Pain Coping Skills Training Protocol for Patients With Persistent Cancer Pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pain coping skills training (PCST) interventions have shown efficacy for reducing pain and providing other benefits in patients with cancer. However, their reach is often limited because of a variety of barriers (e.g., travel, physical burden, cost, time).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a brief PCST intervention delivered to patients in their homes using mobile health (mHealth) technology. Pre-to-post intervention changes in pain, physical functioning, physical symptoms, psychological distress, self-efficacy for pain management, and pain catastrophizing also were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a diagnosis of breast, lung, prostate, or colorectal cancer who reported persistent pain (N = 25) participated in a four-session intervention delivered using mHealth technology (videoconferencing on a tablet computer). Participants completed measures of pain, physical functioning, physical symptoms, psychological distress, self-efficacy for pain management, and pain catastrophizing. We also assessed patient satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants completed an average of 3.36 (SD = 1.11) of the four intervention sessions for an overall session completion rate of 84%. Participants reported that the program was of excellent quality and met their needs. Significant preintervention to postintervention differences were found in pain, physical symptoms, psychological distress, and pain catastrophizing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of mHealth technology is a feasible and acceptable option for delivery of PCST for patients with cancer. This delivery mode is likely to dramatically increase intervention access for cancer patients with pain compared to traditional in-person delivery. Preliminary data also suggest that the program is likely to produce pretreatment to post-treatment decreases in pain and other important outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Tamara J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Somers
authors.affiliation: Center for Learning Health Care, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Amy P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Abernethy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Sara N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Edmond
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA. Electronic address: sarah.kelleher@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kelleher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Anava A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Wren
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Greg P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Samsa
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Keefe
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D058443:Catastrophization / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D049269:Videoconferencing / Q000295:instrumentation
keywords: cancer pain; mHealth technology; pain coping skills; videoconferencing