A Patient Friendly Summary
🎯 What Was the Goal of the Study?
The COPES ExTRA Trial aimed to determine whether a telephone-based program could effectively help individuals manage chronic musculoskeletal pain, such as back, neck, or joint pain.
The central question: Can a self-guided, phone-delivered program be as effective as traditional in-person therapy for managing chronic pain?
🔍 How Was the Clinical Trial Conducted?
- Participants: 764 Veterans experiencing chronic musculoskeletal pain.
- Study Design: Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups:
- COPES Program: An 11-week, telephone-based self-management program. Participants received a handbook, engaged in a walking program, set personal goals, and completed daily automated calls to report on pain, sleep, and activity levels. Weekly, they received personalized voice messages from trained coaches.Health Systems Research
- In-Person CBT-CP: Traditional cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain delivered face-to-face by trained clinicians.Pain Management Collaboratory+1PubMed+1
- Duration: Outcomes were assessed over a 4-month period post-treatment.PubMed
📊 What Were the Findings?
The COPES telephone-based program was found to be as effective as in-person therapy in:
- Reducing pain interference with daily activities.Citeline+3lung-map.org+3ResearchGate+3
- Improving physical functioning and sleep quality.Health Systems Research
- Enhancing overall quality of life.
Additionally, participants in the COPES program attended more sessions on average, likely due to the convenience of home-based treatment. ctv.veeva.com
💡 What Does This Mean for Someone Living with Chronic Pain?
The COPES program offers a flexible and accessible alternative to traditional therapy, especially beneficial for those who:
- Have limited access to trained therapists.Pain Management Collaboratory+1Pain Management Collaboratory+1
- Face challenges attending in-person sessions due to mobility, transportation, or scheduling issues.
- Prefer the convenience and privacy of home-based care.
This approach empowers individuals to actively participate in their pain management journey, potentially leading to improved outcomes and quality of life.
📚 References:
- Heapy AA, Higgins DM, et al. Interactive Voice Response–Based Self-management for Chronic Back Pain: The COPES Noninferiority Randomized Trial. Pain. 2017.Health Systems Research+5ResearchGate+5Semantic Scholar+5
- Pain Management Collaboratory. Expanding Treatment for Real-world Access (COPES ExTRA). https://painmanagementcollaboratory.org/copes-extra/PubMed+4Pain Management Collaboratory+4PDF Editor+4
- VA Health Services Research & Development. Program to Increase Veterans’ Access to Non-Drug Therapy for Pain. https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/impacts/copes.cfmHealth Systems Research
✅ This summary was developed with the assistance of ChatGPT by OpenAI for research and editing support.