Web-based Self-management of Adolescent Chronic Pain: National Implementation Project

Approximately 5-8% of children report severe chronic pain and disability. Although evidence supports pain-self management as effective for reducing pain and disability, data show that most youth do not have access to this intervention. The investigative team's prior studies demonstrate that technology-delivered pain self-management (WebMAP program) can reduce barriers to care, is feasible, acceptable, and effective in reducing pain-related disability and improving anxiety and depression in youth with chronic pain. In this trial, the investigators propose an implementation project to address critical challenges in nationwide dissemination of the WebMAP pain self-management program. Using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial design, 8 clinics from across the U.S. will participate in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with a stepped wedge design to sequentially implement WebMAP in the clinics following randomized usual care periods. Data will be collected from clinic records, web and app administrative tracking, and provider surveys to gather information on adoption and implementation following the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) public health impact framework. Individual patient-level pain outcomes will be collected from 140 patients to evaluate intervention effectiveness. The expected outcome of the project is to yield a strategic approach for a nationwide technology-delivered pain self-management intervention for youth with chronic pain that can be readily sustained in clinical settings.