Internet-based post-stationary behavioral training for patients with chronic back pain.

Ansprechpartner: PD Dr. Markus Moessner (markus.moessner(at)med.uni-heidelberg.de)

Project management: M. Mößner, S. Bauer & H. Kordy in Zusammenarbeit mit M. Schiltenwolf und E. Neubauer (Stiftung Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Heidelberg e.V.)

Since the beginning of 2007, the Center for Psychotherapy Research has been conducting a pilot study on the efficacy and sustainability of an internet-based aftercare program for patients with chronic back pain in cooperation with the Department of Pain Therapy of the Orthopedic University Hospital Heidelberg. In a randomized study (treatment as usual vs. post-stationary behavioral training), patients who have undergone inpatient multimodal pain therapy participate in weekly chat sessions with a therapist. Participants know the therapist personally from their time in the hospital. These are open groups and the duration of participation is 12 to 15 weeks. In addition to the weekly chats, an Internet-based self-monitoring tool is provided, which is individually adapted to the needs of each patient: the topics and behaviors that are queried in the weekly self-monitoring prior to the chat session are derived from the final interview that the patients had with their reference physician prior to discharge. Behaviors and advice given by the reference physician in this final conversation, as well as their post-discharge implementation, are the content of the weekly surveys. By focusing on beneficial behaviors, self-monitoring is intended to strengthen patients' self-management skills and active cooperation. Mediated by post-inpatient behavior, this conceptualized form of follow-up is expected to have a positive impact on pain severity. To test the effectiveness of the intervention, a multicenter, randomized study funded by the BMBF will be conducted starting in spring 2008. The pain centers participating in this study are  are the Orthopedic University Hospital Heidelberg, the DKR Pain Center Mainz, the Pain Center in Dachau, the Neuperlach Clinic and the Enzensberg Fachklinik.

Literature

Moessner, M., Aufdermauer, N., Baier, C., Göbel, H., Kuhnt, O., Neubauer, E., Poesthorst, H. & Kordy, H. (2014). Wirksamkeit eines Internet-gestützten Nachsorgeangebots für Patienten mit chronischen Rückenschmerzen. Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik, Medizinische Psychologie, 64(02), 47-53.