Testing the activity pacing questionnaire for chronic pain: TAPER-Pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Testing the Activity Pacing questionnaire for validity, rEliability and Responsiveness: an outcome measure for chronic Pain (TAPER-Pain)
IRAS ID
319471
Contact name
Deborah Antcliff
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Northern Care Alliance
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
osf.io/hbsku, Open Science Framework
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 29 days
Research summary
In the UK, 35-50% of adults have chronic pain (pain for over three months), for example, neck pain, back pain, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Symptoms include pain, depression, anxiety and disability.
People with chronic pain may avoid activities, over-do activities, or fluctuate between under-doing and over-doing. Activity pacing is frequently advised by healthcare professionals to taper these behaviours, for example, by breaking down tasks and gradually increasing activities. Despite support from patients and clinicians, the effects of activity pacing are unclear due, in part, to the absence of a validated questionnaire to measure activity pacing.
To address this, we have previously developed a 28-item Activity Pacing Questionnaire (APQ-28). Ahead of its wider use, we need to validate it across wider healthcare services. A short-form Activity Pacing Questionnaire (APQ-SF) will be developed that is less burdensome for patients and easier to score by clinicians and researchers.
We will collect questionnaires from 300 adult patients with chronic pain attending primary, secondary and tertiary care services in North-West England/the Midlands. Questionnaires will include the APQ-28 and measures of symptoms. One hundred patients will complete a follow-up questionnaire two and/or 12 weeks later. We will assess whether the APQ-28 is valid (measures what it should) and reliable (provides repeatable results). The APQ-SF will be developed and validated using statistical analyses. A patient and public involvement (PPI) group guided the study aims and methods, and a PPI Advisor will help to develop the study materials and interpret the results.
Once validated, the APQ/APQ-SF will provide a valid outcome measure of activity pacing for use in clinical trials and for use by healthcare professionals. The study will last for 24 months. Our funders are the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Charitable Trust and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/YH/0292
Date of REC Opinion
21 Dec 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion