Acceptability, usability and feasibility of experienced sampling method in chronic secondary pain syndromes

Frontiers in Neurology, 2023 · DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1219236 · Published: July 12, 2023

Neurology Pain Management Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

The study explores the use of the experience sampling method (ESM) to track fluctuations in symptoms and disabling factors in patients with chronic secondary pain syndromes. ESM is a smartphone-based diary that collects real-time measurements of everyday complaints at random times. The goal is to determine if ESM is acceptable, usable, and feasible for these patients despite the potential burden of frequent assessments.

Study Duration

September 2021 and September 2022

Participants

34 participants with chronic secondary neuropathic and musculoskeletal pain syndromes

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The general evaluation showed no significant influence of ESM on participants’ social contacts, activities, or mood.
2
Participants found that the answer options in ESM adequately represented their experiences.
3
The overall response rate for answering ESM prompts was 44.5%, with a wide range of missing data among individuals.

Research Summary

This study investigated the acceptability, usability, and feasibility of the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) in patients with chronic secondary neuropathic and musculoskeletal pain syndromes. The study found that while participants generally found ESM acceptable and usable, the response rate was lower than in previous studies, suggesting potential challenges in its implementation. The researchers conclude that ESM is a promising tool for understanding daily fluctuations in pain and related factors, but that further research is needed to optimize its use in this population.

Practical Implications

Clinical Practice

ESM can be used to gain insights into daily pain fluctuations and associations with pain-related thoughts and emotions.

Research

Future studies should consider the wake-sleep rhythms of chronic pain participants when designing ESM beep schemes.

Technological Development

Address technical issues promptly, potentially through in-person support or chatbots.

Study Limitations

1
The response rate was lower than in previous ESM studies.
2
Only 19 of the 34 participants completed the acceptability and usability questionnaire, potentially introducing selection bias.
3
Technical issues with the application were not always resolved, leading to missing data.

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