Our Recovery – A consumer-led, evidence-based online program to optimise pain self management in the community

Project Member(s): Newton-John, T., Rogers, K., Grunseit, A.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF - Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative)
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF - Preventive and Public Health Research Initiative)

Start year: 2024

Summary: - Pain effects 30 million Australians (DeloitteEconomics 2019). The prevalence and burden of pain is getting worse (AIHW 2019). Those from disadvantaged backgrounds are at greater risk (Karran, Grant et al. 2020) - Best practice guidelines are move towards self-management being part of first-line care (Foster, Anema et al. 2018) - There is a lack of accessible services supporting people to self-manage pain and facilitate healthy behaviour change - Most current interventions for chronic pain have been shown to have little to no effect. We need innovation Background - Idea generated by consumers - Validated by qualitative research (Devan, Hale et al. 2018, Lennox Thompson, Gage et al. 2020, Toye, Belton et al. 2021) - Based on successful community led Twelve step program. A recent Cochrane review with 10,000+ people shows AA to be effective in facilitating behaviour change in populations with alcohol addiction when compared to clinical treatments (Kelly, Kelly et al. 2020) - AA’s beneficial effects seem to be carried predominantly by social, cognitive and affective mechanisms (Kelly 2017) - This aligns with the biopsychosocial model which views pain as emerging from complex interactions of biological, psychological, and social influences. - People with history of trauma, high substance use, and low socioeconomic background are at higher risk of pain (van Hecke, Torrance et al. 2013). This is a similar profile to AA population and therefore is a promising intervention to be modified to pain care space and support a population with complex needs. - Funding will allow adaptation of twelve step model to pain care space through process of co-design, testing and scaling - People will be referred into the program from multidisciplinary pain programs across Australia

FOR Codes: Pain, Allied health and rehabilitation science not elsewhere classified, Human pain management

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.