April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: “It's nice to know that you're not alone”: Lessons From Rural Women Veterans’ Experiences With a Chronic Pain Management Group
OBJECTIVES:
Rural women Veterans with chronic pain face unique challenges to accessing pain care. The intersecting identities of rural, woman, Veteran, and living with chronic pain may result in a sense of ‘otherness’ and isolation. To optimize non-pharmacological pain care for this population, we piloted an 8-week multicomponent telehealth behavioral group intervention. This study explores participants’ experiences with the single-gender virtual group structure of the pilot program.
METHOD:
The program was piloted with six intervention groups that included 3-8 Veterans with chronic pain who identified as women living in a rural area. The program included opportunities for participants to learn about sleep hygiene and nutritional aspects of chronic pain management as well as practice mindful movement, participate in a graded walking program, and connect with fellow Veterans for one-on-one peer support. After completing the intervention, participants were interviewed about their experiences and suggestions for improvement. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically coded for feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. Two qualitative methodologists inductively analyzed interviews for emergent themes grounded in women’s perceptions of their experiences.
RESULTS:
The rural women participants (N=32) were between 36-76 years old and identified as: White (n=27), Native American (n=1), more than one race (n=2), and undisclosed race (n=2). Interview participants reported moderate to severe pain severity and functional interference (M = 6.84, range 3.67-9.69 on the PEG-3). Nearly every participant endorsed the program as beneficial and feasible. The group format of the intervention emerged as paramount in the following ways: 1) Participants celebrated the diversity of experiences and knowledge among rural women with chronic pain in their group; 2) Women relished learning they were not alone in their experiences as a woman Veteran with chronic pain, even if they were separated geographically; 3) Participants described a variety of aspects about group dynamics that supported the peer connections, and they valued facilitators’ deftness in creating a welcoming, safe environment where everyone’s voices were heard.
CONCLUSION:
Participants emphasized the value of the single-gender group-based format. The intervention provided validation through a sense of community and fostered peer learning among diverse perspectives for geographically dispersed women Veterans with chronic pain. The common experience of women Veterans defined by their gender and military connection cannot be overlooked as key components of this pilot program’s success. Yet, findings may be applicable to other commonalities among women (e.g., sexual trauma, type of chronic pain).
IMPACTS:
As women’s health services are developed for chronic pain management, single-gender group-based programs should be prioritized. Further, those programs should include time for women to share their experiences with one another, and facilitators should use communication techniques to support open sharing among the participants.
Rural women Veterans with chronic pain face unique challenges to accessing pain care. The intersecting identities of rural, woman, Veteran, and living with chronic pain may result in a sense of ‘otherness’ and isolation. To optimize non-pharmacological pain care for this population, we piloted an 8-week multicomponent telehealth behavioral group intervention. This study explores participants’ experiences with the single-gender virtual group structure of the pilot program.
METHOD:
The program was piloted with six intervention groups that included 3-8 Veterans with chronic pain who identified as women living in a rural area. The program included opportunities for participants to learn about sleep hygiene and nutritional aspects of chronic pain management as well as practice mindful movement, participate in a graded walking program, and connect with fellow Veterans for one-on-one peer support. After completing the intervention, participants were interviewed about their experiences and suggestions for improvement. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically coded for feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. Two qualitative methodologists inductively analyzed interviews for emergent themes grounded in women’s perceptions of their experiences.
RESULTS:
The rural women participants (N=32) were between 36-76 years old and identified as: White (n=27), Native American (n=1), more than one race (n=2), and undisclosed race (n=2). Interview participants reported moderate to severe pain severity and functional interference (M = 6.84, range 3.67-9.69 on the PEG-3). Nearly every participant endorsed the program as beneficial and feasible. The group format of the intervention emerged as paramount in the following ways: 1) Participants celebrated the diversity of experiences and knowledge among rural women with chronic pain in their group; 2) Women relished learning they were not alone in their experiences as a woman Veteran with chronic pain, even if they were separated geographically; 3) Participants described a variety of aspects about group dynamics that supported the peer connections, and they valued facilitators’ deftness in creating a welcoming, safe environment where everyone’s voices were heard.
CONCLUSION:
Participants emphasized the value of the single-gender group-based format. The intervention provided validation through a sense of community and fostered peer learning among diverse perspectives for geographically dispersed women Veterans with chronic pain. The common experience of women Veterans defined by their gender and military connection cannot be overlooked as key components of this pilot program’s success. Yet, findings may be applicable to other commonalities among women (e.g., sexual trauma, type of chronic pain).
IMPACTS:
As women’s health services are developed for chronic pain management, single-gender group-based programs should be prioritized. Further, those programs should include time for women to share their experiences with one another, and facilitators should use communication techniques to support open sharing among the participants.