Chronic Pain Self-Management Program

The Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP) is a workshop administered in two and a half hour sessions once a week for six weeks in community settings, such as senior centers, churches, libraries, and hospitals. Workshops are facilitated by two trained leaders, of whom at least one is a non-health professional with chronic pain. The workshop covers techniques to cope with problems associated with chronic pain, medication management, appropriate exercise for maintaining strength and endurance, communicating effectively, nutrition, pacing activity and rest, and evaluating new treatments. Classes are very participative and build participants' confidence in their ability to manage their health.

CPSMP protocol was adapted from Stanford's Arthritis Self-Management Program and the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. CPSMP facilitation training is available to organizations, health professionals, and individuals with chronic pain.

CPSMP seeks to help build self-management skills in individuals who have a primary or secondary diagnosis of chronic pain.

In a randomized control trial, 110 individuals with chronic pain conditions were randomly assigned to either the intervention group of participating in CPSMP or the 3-month wait-list control group. Self-reported measures of pain-related and quality of life variables were collected pre-treatment and 3 months later by assessors blinded to group allocation. Results indicated that the treatment group made significant short-term improvements in pain, life-satisfaction, and self-efficacy as compared to the control group.

The program has delivered across 10 pain clinics in Ontario, Canada, and reached over 500 individuals with chronic pain.