Perspectives on Online Resources for People Experiencing Pain: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Innovations in technology offer potential solutions to address pain care inequities. To maximize impacts, greater understanding is needed regarding preferences and priorities of people experiencing or treating pain.

Objectives: This study conducted focus groups to investigate the perspectives of people with pain and healthcare workers regarding online resources for pain management. Researchers asked about barriers to current pain management and what resources would be most desired in an online format to meet needs.

Methods: Participants were a randomly selected sub-sample of adults from a northwestern region of the United States who participated in an online, survey-based study. Eligible participants identified as either a person who had received treatment for pain or a healthcare worker who cared for people with pain. Of the 199 survey respondents, 30 participated in one of three focus group sessions. Focus groups were conducted using videoconferencing technology, then recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Focus group participants included 22 adults who identified as a person treated for pain of any type and 8 healthcare workers. Themes relating to eHealth use reflected desires for (1) freely accessible and vetted pain management information in one place, (2) reliable information tailored to need and pain type, and (3) easy-to-use resources. Findings revealed that some effective pain management resources do exist, yet obstacles including inflexible and inequitable healthcare practices and lack of knowledge about options may limit access to these resources.

Conclusion: Including preferences of user groups can assist in creating resources that are likely to be useful for those with pain and their caregivers. Innovations are needed to address persisting gaps in care.