Patients as Collaborators: Using Focus Groups and Feedback Sessions to Develop an Interactive, Web-Based Self-Management Intervention for Chronic Pain

OBJECTIVES: To describe the development of an interactive, web-based self-management intervention for opioid-treated, chronic pain patients with aberrant drug-related behavior. METHODS: Fifty-three chronic pain patients participated in either focus groups (N = 23) or individual feedback sessions (N = 30). Focus groups probed interest in and relevance of the planned content and structure of the program. Individual session participants reviewed draft program modules and provided feedback on acceptability, ease of use, and usefulness. Focus group transcripts were thematically analyzed, and summary statistics were performed on feedback data. RESULTS: Focus group participants stressed the need for additional pain management strategies and emphasized themes consistent with planned program content related to: 1) ambivalence about opioids; 2) reciprocal relationships among cognition, mood, and pain; 3) importance of recognizing physical limitations; and 4) effectiveness of goal setting for increasing motivation and functioning. Participants also offered insights on: 5) the loss of identity due to chronic pain; and 6) the desire to connect with pain peers to share strategies for managing daily life. Feedback session data demonstrate that participants believed that a web-based tool would be potentially useful and acceptable, and that exposure to program sections significantly increased participants' knowledge of key topics related to self-management of chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest the potential value of self-management for chronic pain patients and the potential acceptability of web-based delivery of intervention content. Focus group and feedback methodologies highlight the usefulness of including potential program users in intervention development.