Pain Reduction Through Empowered Recovery (PRIME) Study

Chronic pain and depression frequently co-occur among older women with disabilities, and each can exacerbate the other in a worsening cycle. This co-occurrence may be due, in part, to pain and depression sharing biologic etiologies such as inflammation. Beyond each individual category of risk, the intersection of age, sex, and disability place older women with disabilities at even higher risk of having co-occurring pain and depression.There are several effective multi-component behavioral interventions for either pain or depression, but not both outcomes in combination, and none were designed to integrate social determinants of health to address the inequities inherent in being an older woman with disabilities. Addressing these two conditions in this population warrants multicomponent interventions that are appropriate for and inclusive of all older women with disabilities. The proposed study is to apply self-regulation theory to refine and further test the feasibility of a tailored behavioral activation intervention, older women with disabilities in Pain Reduction through Improved Mood and Empowerment (PRIME) Study Aim 1: Leveraging the investigators previous research, the investigators will enroll 15-30 community dwelling women , ages 50 and over, with physical disabilities , living in Maryland who have pain and depression in the Women in PRIME clinical trial.

Aim 2: The investigators will determine a) feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and b) if strategies and evaluation techniques are appropriate.

Inclusion criteria

• self-reported pain >4 out of a 0-10 scale that has lasted longer than 3 months and prohibits at least one valued or daily activity,
• physical disability based on the 2008 American Community Survey. The survey includes one question about disability in the following categories: sensory, physical, self-care, ability to go outside of the home, and independent living difficulty. Candidates who report having mobility disabilities will be considered for the study,
• non-institutionalized and living in Maryland, and
• score a 5 or higher on the PHQ9 (depression measure) at least two times during a two week period (screening call and then at first data collection visit via video)
• 50 years of age and older, 6) female

Exclusion criteria

• hospitalized > 3 times in the last year,
• participating in physical therapy,
• have a terminal diagnosis (<1 year expected survival),
• > moderate intellectual impairment (5-7 errors) based on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), 81 and
• unable to understand or speak English. We will exclude anyone with more than three hospitalizations and/or have a terminal diagnosis because of the acuity of their conditions which may limit the effectiveness of the intervention. Physical therapy may impact the outcomes of the intervention and having impaired cognition may make it difficult for participants to engage in the nurse visits, set goals and participate in the ACT sessions.