# Using Technology to Deliver Evidence-Based Interventions for Pain to Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2020 · $101,115

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
The overarching goal of this candidate's program of research is to improve behavioral and physical health and
reduce health disparities by using multimedia technology to deliver evidence-based interventions to
underserved populations. The focus is sickle cell disease (SCD), a condition that disproportionately affects
those of African descent. Many people living with SCD suffer from daily chronic pain as well as recurrent acute
pain episodes that require medical attention. Opioid medication is the primary treatment for pain in SCD,
despite its limited effectiveness and negative side-effects. The proposed K23 attempts to address the need for
an alternative, non-pharmacological pain treatment in SCD. Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT)
has been found effective for reducing chronic pain and may be a low cost, easily accessible and scalable pain
treatment in SCD. The candidate's K12 project tested a cCBT program for anxiety and depression; preliminary
results suggest that patients liked using the program, but found that much of its content did not relate to their
lives. To address this limitation, the proposed K23 project will adapt an existing cCBT program for pain
management to create ReThink Pain SCD, a culturally-tailored, mobile-phone delivered behavioral intervention
designed specifically to help African American patients self-manage chronic sickle cell pain. Aim 1: Modify and
tailor the generic cCBT pain program, using qualitative research methods to understand the needs and barriers
to pain management in patients with SCD, as well as the opportunities to engage this population using
multimedia. These data will inform the development of the features and content of ReThink Pain SCD. Aim 2:
Conduct a pilot pragmatic clinical trial to test the feasibility and acceptability of implementing this pain
intervention into routine SCD care. Forty patients with SCD will be randomized to either receive 8 sessions of
the cCBT program or 8 online education modules on a smartphone. Primary outcomes of the trial include
feasibility (recruitment, retention, provider and patient feedback) and acceptability (sessions completed) of the
ReThink Pain SCD program.
In order to achieve the goals of this research plan and transition to independence, the candidate requires
further training in user-centered design, implementation science, design and conduct of pragmatic clinical
trials, and team management and leadership. This proposal includes an exceptional team of mentors and
consultants. Primary mentor Dr. Bruce Rollman is founding Director of the Center for Behavioral Health and
Smart Technology. Co-mentor Dr. Robert Noll is a clinical psychologist with expertise in behavioral intervention
trials. Co-mentor Dr. Laura De Castro is a nationally recognized trialist and expert in sickle cell disease. This
training and research plan will form the basis for a future multicenter clinical trial testing the efficacy of ReThink
Pain SCD for improv...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9861257
- **Project number:** 5K23HL135396-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Charles Richard Jonassaint
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $101,115
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-02-01 → 2021-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9861257

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9861257, Using Technology to Deliver Evidence-Based Interventions for Pain to Patients with Sickle Cell Disease (5K23HL135396-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9861257. Licensed CC0.

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