The Development of a Gamified Web-based Pain Management Program (GAP) for Community-dwelling Older Adults With Chronic Pain

Pain Management in Older Adults: Pain significantly impacts the well-being of older adults, often leading to diminished physical abilities and a reduced quality of life. Despite this, pain management remains suboptimal, with concerns about medication side effects and a tendency to view pain as a natural aspect of aging. Consequently, many seniors are hesitant to use painkillers. As an alternative, non-pharmacological strategies such as educational programs, physical activity, massage, relaxation techniques, and music therapy are gaining traction.

Innovative Non-Drug Solutions: To improve participation in non-medication pain relief methods, we suggest incorporating gaming elements into these programs (GAP). Originating in digital media in 2008, gamification has since spread across various industries. It involves adding game-like elements to activities to boost engagement, experience, and motivation.

Project Goals: The aims of this initiative include creating a web-based Gamified Pain Management Program (GAP), engaging older adults with chronic pain in the development of GAP, and gathering their feedback on the program's effectiveness.

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Key information

Conditions

Chronic Pain Syndrome

Age range

60 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Hong Kong

Location status: Recruiting

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Aged 60 or above
Can understand Cantonese
Scored >6 in the Abbreviated Mental Test; a cut-off point of 6 is valid for differentiating between normal and abnormal cognitive functions in geriatric clients
Have a history of non-cancer pain in the past 6 months
Have a pain score of at least 2 on the Numeric Rating Scale
Able to take part in light exercise and stretching
Owns a smartphone and can access the Internet

Exclusion criteria

Have severe visual and/or auditory deficits that affect that seeing and hearing
Have a serious organic disease or malignant tumor
Have a mental disorder diagnosed by neurologists or psychiatrists
Had a surgical treatment in the past two months
Experienced drug addiction

Treatment and study plan

Gamified web-based pain management Program

Other

Gamified Program Development: The project aims to create a Gamified web-based pain management Program (GAP) tailored for older adults with chronic pain, enhancing engagement through gaming elements.

Inclusive Design Process: Older adults with chronic pain will actively participate in developing GAP, providing valuable feedback throughout the process.

Pilot Study Design: A pre and post study design will be employed, with a small pilot group of 4 participants to offer diverse perspectives in the program's development.

Educational Content & Activities: GAP will feature interactive educational content on pain effects, medication, non-drug treatments, and exercises, delivered through a mobile-friendly web platform.

Primary outcomes

Pain Relief

Time frame: 4-week

Conducting pre- and post-test of Brief Pain Inventory Scale Title: Brief Pain Inventory Minimum Value: 0 Maximum Value: 10 Interpretation: Higher scores indicate worse pain outcomes.

Interested in participating?

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

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Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2023
Primary completion: 2025
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Apr 29, 2024
Registry last updated: Oct 2, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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