Integrating users' perspectives during the development of the Chronic Pain Recommendation Map: protocol for a...

One in five people experience chronic pain globally, yet management remains suboptimal and discrepant guideline recommendations are common. To increase pain literacy and improve concordance between evidence and practice, we are developing a freely accessible digital Chronic Pain Recommendation Map (e-Chronic Pain RecMap) focusing on three priority areas: opioids, cannabis and spine-related interventional procedures. The aim of this study is to gather participants' perspectives on the mockups of the RecMap interfaces throughout its development, in terms of design, usability, content relevance and clarity. Feedback will guide iterative refinements of the platform and align the RecMap with user expectations and needs.

We will use a qualitative descriptive approach to explore participants' perspectives through online semi-structured interviews. Participants will be purposively sampled to include health researchers, healthcare providers, individuals with living or lived experience of chronic pain and policymakers. Based on information power, we aim to recruit approximately 20 participants, at least 5 participants per target user group, with assessment of sample size adequacy throughout data collection. We will analyse interview transcripts using inductive content analysis and findings will inform iterative refinements to the RecMap's content and design. To increase methodological rigour, we will apply established qualitative descriptive techniques including detailed description of data analysis, triangulation of investigators, thick data description, dependability, confirmability and reflexivity.

The Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board approved this study. We will conduct online interviews and record audio only. After transcription, we will de-identify all collected data and ensure that participants' names are not linked to any transcripts or study materials. We will share a summary of our final findings with participants and interest-holders via email, and we plan to publish the final manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal.