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Author Spotlight: Methodologies and Advancements of Chronic Pain Management Research
Published on: January 5, 2024
Is there a right control condition in mHealth trials? A critical view on pain medicine
Janosch A Priebe1, Thomas R Toelle1
1Center of Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine, Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar (MRI), Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Abstract:
When mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) are investigated, the question of the proper control condition arises. Normally, the randomized controlled trial (RCT) is seen as the gold standard when testing efficacy of clinical interventions. Yet, mHealth apps rarely comprise innovative treatments but rather provide established treatments digitally. The classical RCT utilizing a placebo or waiting group condition may not always be the suitable methodology, since non-treatment is not appropriate if a disease urges treatment and the development of chronic disease needs to be prevented. The present commentary discusses conceivable control conditions in mHealth trials and illustrates their limitations.
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