Reaching Rural Veterans: Applying Mind-Body Skills for Pain Using a Whole Health Telehealth Intervention - UH3

Our long-term objective is to improve pain management and reduce opioid use among rural patients in the VA. To accomplish this, we will conduct a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of an innovative multi-component complementary and integrative intervention, Reaching Rural Veterans: Applying Mind-Body Skills for Pain Using a Whole Health Telehealth Intervention (RAMP) delivered via group telehealth, for improving rural Veterans' pain management, function, and wellbeing, within the VA healthcare system. This project addresses the significant challenge of implementing effective, non-opioid interventions for chronic pain management among rural Veterans, who experience a disproportionate share of the national pain burden, with more chronicity, opioid harms, comorbid mental health conditions and substance abuse, and are prescribed more opioids and have less access to evidence-based, chronic pain care that addresses their "whole-person" or biopsychosocial needs. The RAMP program strategically coalesces multiple evidence based CIH self-management strategies to address rural Veterans' biopsychosocial needs and overcome existing barriers to implementation. Comprised of pain education, mindfulness, pain specific exercises, and cognitive behavioral strategies, the program is cohesive and scalable.