Telehealth for Pain and Unhealthy Drinking Among PLWH

Launched by BOSTON UNIVERSITY · Aug 13, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a new way to help people living with HIV who are also dealing with chronic pain and unhealthy drinking habits. The researchers want to see if a program called Motivational and Cognitive Behavioral Management for Alcohol and Pain (MCBMAP) can help these individuals more effectively than just giving brief advice and information. The trial will involve 250 participants who have moderate to severe chronic pain, and most of the activities will be done online to make it easier for everyone to take part without needing to travel.

To be eligible for the study, participants need to confirm their HIV diagnosis and show that they drink more than recommended amounts. They must also be experiencing moderate or greater pain for at least three months and own a smartphone. Participants will first complete some assessments online, followed by two weeks of checking their daily alcohol use and pain levels. After this, they will be randomly assigned to either the new program or the control group and will meet with a counselor through video calls. The study will track their progress over three and six months, helping researchers understand how well this new approach works.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Able to confirm HIV diagnosis, via visual evidence of antiretroviral (ART) medication bottle or medical record presented to study staff over Zoom.
• * Engaged in unhealthy drinking, defined as:
• • \>7 drinks for women / \> 14 drinks for men per week.
• • OR ≥ 3 drinks for women / ≥4 drinks for men on one occasion in the past month.
• • Experiencing moderate or greater chronic pain (4 or greater on the numerical pain rating scale) for at least 3 months.
• • Own a smart phone.
• • Lives in the USA.
• • Has a US mailing address.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • History of bipolar, schizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia per self report.
• • Unstable dose of psychoactive medication for pain or alcohol/substance use \[i.e., if on medication, participant has not been on same dose for least 2 months\]
• • History of withdrawal-related seizures or delirium tremens
• • Current non-pharmacological treatment for alcohol use disorder or chronic pain
• • Acute life-threatening illness that requires treatment or intend to have surgery for a pain-related condition in the next 6-months.
• • Current cancer-related pain
• • Unable to provide one or more individuals for follow-up contact
• • Individual who is unwilling to provide their sex at birth
• • Limited or non-readers