Multicomponent self-management intervention for cancer patients with pain: A pilot randomized controlled study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Digital Health
• Pain Management

Background:

• Cancer pain significantly impacts patients' quality of life.
• Effective self-management strategies are crucial for improving patient outcomes.
• mHealth interventions offer a promising avenue for supporting cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a multicomponent mHealth-supported self-management intervention for cancer patients experiencing pain.
• To evaluate the preliminary effects of this intervention on pain intensity, self-efficacy, quality of life, pain knowledge, and medication adherence.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, single-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 24 participants.
• Participants were randomized to either the intervention group (multicomponent self-management plus PainManager app) or a control group (usual care).
• Feasibility was assessed via enrollment and retention rates; acceptability through satisfaction questionnaires and interviews; and preliminary effects via validated outcome measures.

Main Results:

• The study demonstrated high feasibility with a 95.8% retention rate.
• A moderate positive effect was observed for medication adherence (Hedge's g = 0.484).
• Small effects were noted for pain intensity, self-efficacy, quality of life, and pain knowledge, with high participant satisfaction reported.

Conclusions:

• The multicomponent mHealth intervention is feasible and acceptable for cancer patients with pain.
• Improvements in medication adherence were observed, but further investigation is required for other outcomes.
• Larger-scale studies are needed to validate findings and explore long-term effects.