Behavior Change Following Pain Neuroscience Education in Middle Schools: A Public Health Trial

Adriaan Louw, Regina Landrus, Jessie Podolak, Patricia Benz, Jen DeLorenzo, Christine Davis, Alison Rogers, Kathy Cooper, Colleen Louw, Kory Zimney, Emilio J. Puentedura and Merrill R. Landers
Additional contact information
Adriaan Louw: Evidence in Motion, Story City, IA 50248, USA
Regina Landrus: Big Stone Therapies, Hendricks, MN 56136, USA
Jessie Podolak: Evidence in Motion Pain Fellowship, San Antonio, TX 78232, USA
Patricia Benz: Confluent Health, Siesta Key, FL 34242, USA
Jen DeLorenzo: 180 Therapy and Wellness, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
Christine Davis: St. Croix Regional Medical Center, St Croix Falls, WI 54024, USA
Alison Rogers: SERC Physical Therapy, Webb City, MO 64870, USA
Kathy Cooper: Physical Therapy of Concordia, Concordia, MO 64020, USA
Colleen Louw: Ortho Spine and Pain Clinic, Story City, IA 50248, USA
Kory Zimney: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
Emilio J. Puentedura: Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798-7303, USA
Merrill R. Landers: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154-3029, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 12, 1-23

Abstract: Chronic pain and the opioid epidemic need early, upstream interventions to aim at meaningful downstream behavioral changes. A recent pain neuroscience education (PNE) program was developed and tested for middle-school students to increase pain knowledge and promote healthier beliefs regarding pain. In this study, 668 seventh-grade middle-school students either received a PNE lecture ( n = 220); usual curriculum school pain education (UC) ( n = 198) or PNE followed by two booster (PNEBoost) sessions ( n = 250). Prior to, immediately after and at six-month follow-up, pain knowledge and fear of physical activity was measured. Six months after the initial intervention school, physical education, recess and sports attendance/participation as well as healthcare choices for pain (doctor visits, rehabilitation visits and pain medication use) were measured. Students receiving PNEBoost used 30.6% less pain medication in the last 6 months compared to UC ( p = 0.024). PNEBoost was superior to PNE for rehabilitation visits in students experiencing pain ( p = 0.01) and UC for attending school in students who have experienced pain > 3 months ( p = 0.004). In conclusion, PNEBoost yielded more positive behavioral results in middle school children at six-month follow-up than PNE and UC, including significant reduction in pain medication use.

Keywords: pain; neuroscience; education; school; children; behavior change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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