STEPS: An Efficacy Trial of a Chronic Pain Self-Management Program for Older Adults

Description

The goal of this study is to determine whether community health workers (CHWs)-i.e., lay health workers with close ties to the communities they serve – can effectively teach cognitive-behavioral pain management strategies to older adults in a disadvantaged urban setting. Specific aims are: to test, in a sample of 414 primarily African American older adults, whether the STEPS pain self-management intervention, delivered over 7 weeks through telephone sessions with a CHW and mobile health tools, improves pain outcomes at 2 and 12 months compared to a usual care control group. We will also assess the mechanisms by which the intervention may bring about positive changes in pain outcomes. We will use mixed quantitative and qualitative methods to assess participant engagement and satisfaction, and factors affecting implementation.