CDC Special Interest Project: Chronic Pain Study
Chronic pain affects 1 in 3 US adults and costs up to $635 billion annually in medical costs and lost work productivity. Although one-third of US adults have chronic pain, there is a lack of affordable, community-based interventions for people with chronic pain. Our study examines the long-term effectiveness of the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP) in West Virginia. The CPSMP is a six-week workshop that is held once per week for 2.5 hours. The workshop helps participants learn how to better cope with the physical, mental and emotional challenges caused by pain. Participants will learn how to manage stress, communicate with their healthcare team, use medications safely, maintain a healthy lifestyle and set goals through action plans. According to Sally Hurst, a workshop leader in Greenbrier County, "participants are benefiting from talking about their pain…they have more confidence in their ability to use their mind to manage their pain symptoms."
For additional information, contact Primary Investigator Dina Jones, PT, PhD.