Pain Squad+ – Real Time Pain Relief For Adolescents

Pain Squad+ – Real Time Pain Relief For Adolescents

The purpose of pain relief is to reduce the intensity and duration of any discomfort you may be in. While pills, patches, and creams may temporarily dull the sensation, they usually don’t provide lasting comfort or prevent future discomfort.

The Pain Squad+ smartphone application is designed to assist you in managing your pain, providing validated assessments and tailored treatment advice in real-time. Furthermore, the application offers a library of self-management tips.

These app screenshots display the landing screen (A), visual analogue slider scale for pain assessment (B), and excerpts of personalized pain treatment advice from their library.

Adolescents randomised to this group will complete pain assessments and receive the same smartphone-based algorithm-driven pain treatment advice as Experimental Group B, but also nurse-initiated pain support. They will be monitored throughout the study using automated alerts with the option of completing ad hoc pain assessments anytime between these alert times.

Through the Health Utility Index Mark 2/3 (HUI2/3)46, adolescents’ pain-related health outcomes will be assessed during and after the trial. Direct healthcare costs (including those related to using Pain Squad+ app with or without nurse support), out-of-pocket expenses for families, indirect costs due to lost productivity, and use of health services will all be evaluated.

The Pain Squad+ app, with and without nurse-initiated pain support, will be compared with a waitlist control condition to assess its incremental cost-effectiveness and utility in relieving pain over the study period. Satisfaction with treatment will also be assessed through qualitative interviews with a subset of participating adolescents.