An Integrated Videoconferencing Intervention for Chronic Pain and Heavy Drinking Among Patients in HIV-care: a Proof-of-concept Study

Overview

Journal AIDS Care

Publisher Informa Healthcare

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2020 Jun 12

PMID 32524827

Citations 3

Authors

Tibor P Palfai

Richard Saitz

Maya P L Kratzer

Jessica L Taylor

John D Otis

Judith A Bernstein

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Chronic pain and heavy drinking are common comorbid conditions among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). An integrated approach to address these co-occurring conditions in a manner that facilitates treatment utilization would represent an important advance in HIV-care. This study examined the acceptability and feasibility of a tailored, videoconferencing intervention to reduce chronic pain and heavy drinking among PLWHA. Participants in HIV-care (n = 8) completed baseline assessments and an in-person intervention session followed by 6 videoconferencing sessions. Acceptability and feasibility were assessed with patient satisfaction ratings and interview responses 8 weeks following baseline along with videoconferencing use during the intervention period. Treatment satisfaction and comprehensibility ratings were high and supported by interview responses indicating the value of the intervention content, treatment alliance, and format. All participants successfully enabled videoconferencing on their own smartphones and completed a median number of 4.5 (out of 6) video-sessions. Changes in heavy drinking and pain provided additional support for the potential utility of this approach. Results suggest that this videoconferencing intervention is an acceptable and feasible method of addressing chronic pain and heavy drinking among PLWHA. Findings provide the basis for future work to examine the efficacy of this approach in a Stage 1b trial.

Citing Articles

Non-Pharmacological Interventions Addressing Chronic Pain in People Living with HIV.

Chen Y, Safren S Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2025; 22(1):24.

PMID: 40082267 PMC: 11906562. DOI: 10.1007/s11904-025-00734-3.

Addressing Pain and Heavy Drinking among Patients in HIV-Care: A Pilot Study of an Integrated Telehealth Intervention.

Palfai T, Kratzer M, Taylor J, Otis J, Winter M AIDS Behav. 2025; .

PMID: 39998790 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-025-04660-8.

Virtual care pathways for people living with HIV: A mixed-methods systematic review.

Farooq H, Whitton L, Mwendera C, Divall P, Spitters S, Anderson J HIV Med. 2024; 26(1):44-69.

PMID: 39289147 PMC: 11725418. DOI: 10.1111/hiv.13701.

Integrated telehealth intervention to reduce chronic pain and unhealthy drinking among people living with HIV: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Palfai T, Bernier L, Kratzer M, Magane K, Fielman S, Otis J Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2024; 19(1):64.

PMID: 39238059 PMC: 11375999. DOI: 10.1186/s13722-024-00493-3.

[Remote management of musculoskeletal pain : A pragmatic approach to the implementation of video and phone consultations in musculoskeletal practice. German version].

Hohenschurz-Schmidt D, Scott W, Park C, Christopoulos G, Vogel S, Draper-Rodi J Schmerz. 2022; 37(5):360-371.

PMID: 35834004 PMC: 9281242. DOI: 10.1007/s00482-022-00659-5.

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