Attenuating chronic pain & trauma among naval special warfare veterans using psychoeducation
Date
2022
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Background & Purpose: Naval Special Warfare (NSW) veterans, including former Navy SEALs and Underwater Demolition Team Operators, have high rates of comorbid chronic pain and trauma. This DNP Project provided NSW veterans with access to a psychoeducation mobile application for chronic pain for 30 days to measure its effect on NSW veterans’ chronic pain and trauma scores. Methods: NSW veterans were recruited through an established NSW veteran’s organization. Nine subjects were enrolled, and eight subjects finished. An evidence-based, psychoeducation mobile application called Curable© was used for the 30-day intervention. The Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire 2 and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder for the Military Questionnaire were used to establish baseline and post-intervention pain and trauma scores. ☐ Results: Seven of the eight subjects experienced clinically significant decreases in chronic pain symptoms, and four of eight subjects experienced a clinically meaningful change in their trauma scores. Conclusion & Implications: The subjects broadly accepted the idea of an online-based, self-managed mobile application intervention for their chronic pain. More research is needed to establish if this intervention would have the same success in the wider NSW community. ☐ Keywords: Navy SEAL, Naval Special Warfare, chronic pain, trauma, psychoeducation, mobile application
Description
Keywords
Trauma, Special operations, Psychoeducation, Navy SEALs, Chronic pain