Chronic pain in sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major health problem. Because of the high pain burden associated with SCD and the existing health disparities in comprehensive pain management, non-pharmacological, home-based strategies are urgently needed to help manage chronic pain. In this study, the investigators will use a single-site, 8-week, randomized clinical trial (with follow-up at 12 weeks) to evaluate a home-based, pain self-management program for chronic pain in Black adults with SCD. Study participants will be identified from the group of patients with chronic pain who receive care in the SCD clinic of the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Grady Memorial Hospital (Grady) in Atlanta, Georgia. Patients may be recommended by the Center's staff or may self-identify in response to study flyers posted in the Center, health facilities or community-based organizations in surrounding areas, or on social media. Recruitment and consent will take place in a private area of the SCD clinic, the research center in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, or remotely if necessary. Consent may also occur remotely if necessary.~After enrollment, in-person study activities will take place in the SCD clinic or the research center while remote study activities will take place in participants' homes on their own time. Participants will complete questionnaires and a pain diary, use the pain management program at home (delivered with a virtual reality device or audio only on SoundCloud), and complete a qualitative interview or focus group session. Compensation will be provided after completion of each of these study activities. During the study, subjects will continue their standard pain management routine, including any pain medications, as prescribed by their healthcare provider.~This research will advance both scientific knowledge and human health by focusing on addressing unmet needs for an underserved population. This study is the first randomized clinical trial that investigates a virtual reality, home-based pain self-management program for chronic pain in adults with SCD. Therefore, this study represents the first essential step in developing a culturally-tailored, non-pharmacological, home-based, chronic pain self-management intervention specifically for Black adults with SCD that can be used along with standard SCD care.
This project will evaluate AppliedVR's EaseVRx - a multi-modal, skills-based, 8-week, virtual reality, home intervention - in an exploratory randomized controlled trial for self-management of chronic pain among Black, young adults (ages 18-50) with sickle cell disease.