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NCT Number: NCT06500780

Equipping Patients Using Interventions for Pain and Depression

This project is part of the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative (https://heal.nih.gov/). This randomized controlled trial (RCT) is phase 2 of a two-phase, 5-year project with the overarching goal of testing a decision aid (DA)/coaching intervention, tailored to Black patients with comorbid chronic pain and depression, to encourage use of and adherence to nonpharmacological pain treatments (NPTs).

This 2-arm trial will randomize 304 patients with comorbid chronic musculoskeletal pain and depression in primary care from an urban safety-net health system (Eskenazi). After the baseline assessment, patients randomized to the intervention will be asked to participate in 4 coaching sessions over approximately 12 weeks. Sessions will use Motivational Interviewing principles to foster openness to NPTs and self-efficacy by helping patients identify their goals and priorities, understand their NPT options, prepare them to discuss and choose options with their primary care providers (PCPs), and reinforce these choices to foster maintenance of these changes. DA contents will be integrated into these sessions, which will facilitate discussion of these options with their PCP. The first 3 sessions take place prior to the patient's next scheduled PCP visit; the final session occurs after this visit. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 3 months (i.e., after completing the final coaching session), and 6 months.

Patients randomized to the wait-list control group will receive usual care (in addition to study assessments at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months). After completing the final assessment, they will then be given the DA and offered a 20-minute coaching session to walk them through it.

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Key information

Conditions

Chronic Pain Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Health Equity Muscular Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Eskenazi Health Primary Care

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46254, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Adam T Hirsh, PhD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Research Specialist

CONTACT

[email protected]

317-274-9402

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

Eligible patients must

  • have musculoskeletal pain in the low back, cervical spine, or extremities (hip, knee, shoulder) for ≥3 months,
  • have at least moderate pain intensity and interference with function, defined by a score ≥4 (possible range: 0-10) on the Pain, Enjoyment of Life and General Activity scale (PEG), a 3-item measure of pain intensity, interference with enjoyment of life, and interference with general activity,
  • have at least mild depression, defined as PHQ-8 score ≥5,
  • identify as Black or African American,
  • have consistent access to a telephone,
  • indicate openness to new pain treatments, and
  • have a scheduled appointment with their PCP in the next approximate 2-4 months or be willing to schedule one

Exclusion criteria

Patients are excluded:

  • if previously participated in Dr. Matthias' past pilot study (IRB #12885), the pilot RCT for this project (IRB #16571), or are participating as a Patient Engagement Panel member for this project (Aim 1.1),
  • if the eligibility screener or medical records indicate severe medical conditions likely precluding participation (e.g. stroke in the last 6 months, hospitalized with congestive heart failure or a heart attack in the last 6 months, cancer other than skin cancer and receiving active treatment), or
  • if the eligibility screener or medical records reveal (1) active suicidal ideation, or (2) severe hearing/speech or cognitive impairment.

Treatment and study plan

Coaching and Decision Aid

Behavioral

Four (4) coaching sessions over approximately 12 weeks with integration of Decision Aid contents

Primary outcomes

  1. Change from Baseline Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Interference Scale at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    The pain interference score averages seven ratings, 0 (does not interfere) to 10 (completely interferes).

  2. Change from Baseline Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Interference Scale at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    The pain interference score averages seven ratings, 0 (does not interfere) to 10 (completely interferes).

  3. Change from Baseline Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-8 at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-8 is a widely-used, validated 8-item measure of depression severity that uses a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day).

  4. Change from Baseline Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-8 at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-8 is a widely-used, validated 8-item measure of depression severity that uses a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change from Baseline Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7 at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    Anxiety will be measured with the 7 item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7 that uses a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day).

  2. Change from Baseline Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7 at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    Anxiety will be measured with the 7 item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7 that uses a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day).

  3. Change from Baseline Pain Catastrophizing Scale at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    The Pain Catastrophizing Scale is a 13-item scale that assesses catastrophizing-a cognitive-emotional factor that predicts poor treatment response. The scale uses a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (all the time).

  4. Change from Baseline Pain Catastrophizing Scale at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    The Pain Catastrophizing Scale is a 13-item scale that assesses catastrophizing-a cognitive-emotional factor that predicts poor treatment response. The scale uses a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (all the time).

  5. Change from Baseline Use of Nonpharmacological and Self-Care Approaches (NSCAP) at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    The NSCAP asks about 9 nonpharmacological treatment (NPT) modalities and assesses details of use such as frequency, location/source of service, and patients' judgments of effectiveness. Space is also provided for other NPTs that are used but not listed. The number of modalities for which patients answer "yes" will be summed for analyses.

  6. Change from Baseline Use of Nonpharmacological and Self-Care Approaches (NSCAP) at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    The NSCAP asks about 9 nonpharmacological treatment (NPT) modalities and assesses details of use such as frequency, location/source of service, and patients' judgments of effectiveness. Space is also provided for other NPTs that are used but not listed. The number of modalities for which patients answer "yes" will be summed for analyses.

  7. Change from Baseline Altarum Consumer Engagement (ACE) Measure at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    Patient engagement will be measured with the 12-item Altarum Consumer Engagement (ACE) Measure, which has 3 subscales: 1) commitment to manage one's health, 2) informed choice, and 3) confidence to participate in treatment decisions. Items are assessed on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree).

  8. Change from Baseline Altarum Consumer Engagement (ACE) Measure at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    Patient engagement will be measured with the 12-item Altarum Consumer Engagement (ACE) Measure, which has 3 subscales: 1) commitment to manage one's health, 2) informed choice, and 3) confidence to participate in treatment decisions. Items are assessed on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree).

  9. Change from Baseline Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    Decisional conflict will be measured with the 16-item Decisional Conflict Scale that measures personal perceptions of a) uncertainty in choosing options, b) modifiable factors contributing to uncertainty, and c) effective decision making on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree).

  10. Change from Baseline Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    Decisional conflict will be measured with the 16-item Decisional Conflict Scale that measures personal perceptions of a) uncertainty in choosing options, b) modifiable factors contributing to uncertainty, and c) effective decision making on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree).

Other outcomes

  1. Change from Baseline Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions Scale (PEPPI-5) at 3 months

    Time frame: 3 months

    Communication self-efficacy will be measured with this 5-item scale that measures patients' self-efficacy in obtaining medical information and getting their most important health concern discussed in a clinic visit. The scale uses ratings from 0 (not at all confident) to 10 (extremely confident).

  2. Change from Baseline Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions Scale (PEPPI-5) at 6 months

    Time frame: 6 months

    Communication self-efficacy will be measured with this 5-item scale that measures patients' self-efficacy in obtaining medical information and getting their most important health concern discussed in a clinic visit. The scale uses ratings from 0 (not at all confident) to 10 (extremely confident).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Jennifer Garabrant

CONTACT

[email protected]

317-278-2510

Research Specialist

CONTACT

[email protected]

317-274-9402

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Indiana University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

Registry information

Official study title

Equipping Patients Using Interventions for Pain and Depression (EQUIPD) - Phase 2

Acronym: EQUIPD

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jul 15, 2024
Registry last updated
Jun 9, 2026

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

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

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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