A pilot study of the AIM-CP intervention showed that an integrated nurse care management model is a feasible and effective way to deliver nonpharmacological chronic pain treatment to patients in rural communities. The findings will inform a full-scale randomized controlled trial to evaluate the intervention’s impact on a larger scale.

The results were published online ahead of print in Pain Medicine.

Rural residents experience higher rates of chronic pain but often lack access to evidence-based alternatives to opioids, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and exercise therapy. AIM-CP, an NIH Collaboratory Trial led by principal investigators Sebastian Tong and Kushang Patel of the University of Washington, will test a virtual nurse care management model that includes care coordination, cognitive behavioral therapy, and referral to a virtual exercise program.

The pilot study, conducted with 29 participants across healthcare systems in Washington and North Carolina, showed the intervention was feasible and had a high level of acceptability to patients. Participants experienced significant reductions in pain interference and improved satisfaction with their health. While adherence to nurse-led sessions was strong, the researchers observed low uptake for the exercise component, a challenge the team plans to address through enhanced training and support in the larger randomized trial.

AIM-CP is supported within the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory through the NIH HEAL Initiative by a grant from the National Institute of Nursing Research. Learn more about AIM-CP.