# Self-Administered Acupressure for Veterans with Chronic Back Pain: A Multisite Evaluation of Effectiveness and Implementation

> **NIH VA I01** · VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION · 2022 · —

## Abstract

Background: It is estimated that about half of the 9 million Veterans who receive care at Veterans Health
Administration (VHA) have chronic pain, of which chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a major type. Veterans with
CLBP are high healthcare utilizers and are experiencing a dramatic shift in care – from a medical approach
that relied on medications like opioids for pain management to a biopsychosocial approach in which evidence -
based, lower risk non-pharmacological options are favored. Non-pharmacological interventions, which include
complementary and integrative health (CIH) treatments, are now a first line of care. Consequently, Veterans
need to be able to access these treatments, but they are complex to deliver and difficult to provide in real-world
settings. Thus, non-pharmacological treatments for CLBP need to not only be effective, but also low cost,
easy-to-administer, accessible, and acceptable to Veterans and to their providers.
Significance: Our long-term goal is to improve chronic pain management for Veterans with CLBP by
integrating an effective self-administered acupressure intervention into VHA using current structures that
support Veteran-centered care. The proposed project is a crucial first step. It directly addresses priorities from
VA, HSR&D, and CARA legislation that seek to provide greater access to non-opioid options for chronic pain,
including CIH treatments like acupressure.
Innovation and Impact: This project leverages the unique infrastructure within VHA to test and deliver
interventions that could have system-wide uptake. Self-administered acupressure is an ideal intervention to
test using the existing VHA support structure for CIH treatments, the Whole Health System. Self-administered
acupressure is a promising candidate for uptake at VHA given its low risk and ability to be performed at home
at any time. In addition to providing evidence that can inform VA clinical practice guidelines for low back pain
on effectiveness of self-administered acupressure for CLBP, this project will also inform on how to begin to
implement this treatment at VHA, which would support the recent CIH Directive that outlines processes for how
to integrate CIH treatments for Veterans.
Specific Aims: Aim 1: Determine effectiveness of a 6-week self-administered acupressure protocol on pain
interference, disability, fatigue, and sleep post intervention, and [sustained effects at 10 weeks] and 2)
Evaluate supports and barriers for implementation of self -administered acupressure to Veterans with CLBP.
Methodology: A Type 1 effectiveness-implementation hybrid study will be conducted at three VA sites: Ann
Arbor VA Medical Center, Toledo Community-Based Outpatient Clinic, and Flint Community-Based Outpatient
Clinic. There will be 300 Veterans recruited from providers at these sites and through classes offered through
the Whole Health System, an initiative designed to teach Veterans how to self-manage aspects of their health.
Participants who are rand...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10533338
- **Project number:** 5I01HX003302-02
- **Recipient organization:** VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
- **Principal Investigator:** Sarah Krein
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-06-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10533338

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10533338, Self-Administered Acupressure for Veterans with Chronic Back Pain: A Multisite Evaluation of Effectiveness and Implementation (5I01HX003302-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10533338. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*