Lacayo, Elke

Date Presented 03/28/20 Cognitive difficulties are commonly reported by individuals with chronic pain. An interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program (IPRP) that includes OT can be an effective strategy for improving cognitive performance. This case series examines change in cognitive performance for two individuals following a three-week IPRP. OTs provide group-based education with an emphasis on function. This approach successfully enhances cognitive performance and can potentially be used as an OT treatment in other settings. Primary Author and Speaker: Elke Lacayo Additional Authors and Speakers: Tanya Crowder Contributing Authors: Rachel Perez, Christopher Sletten

Objective. To examine the efficacy of interdisciplinary rehabilitation for improving function in people with chronic pain. Design. Retrospective Chart Review. Setting. The Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC) at a medical center. Participants. Individuals admitted to the PRC. Interventions. The PRC operates a 3-week outpatient program that utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to treat people with chronic pain. The main treatment elements include physical therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and medication management. Physical therapy groups focus on moderate exercise despite symptoms. Occupational therapists teach moderation, time management, and activity modification. CBT groups, led by a pain psychologist, address the psychosocial comorbidities of chronic pain. Medical staff oversee the tapering of opiate analgesics and other symptom targeted treatments. This integrated approach is indicated when conventional treatments have been ineffective. Outcome Measures. The objective outcome was the 6-minute walk test (6 mWT) distance. The subjective outcomes were performance (COPM-PER) and satisfaction (COPM-SAT) as measured by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Results. Average 6 mWT distances improved by 39% from 375 m to 523 m. Average COPM-PER scores increased from 3.4 to 7.5. Average COPM-SAT scores increased from 2.4 to 7.5. Conclusions. Comprehensive interdisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation can significantly improve function in people with chronic pain.