PROPOSAL FOR VIDEO LESSONS ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY COVERING PAIN NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

Abstract

Introduction: Given the biopsychosocial etiology of chronic pain, therapeutic approaches that encompass physical and psychosocial aspects, such as education in pain neurophysiology (NPE), are advocated. Objective: To suggest technology content for NPE using video lessons. Methods: The content was proposed in two stages: (i) evaluation by NPE specialists and adaptation of the content according to their suggestions; (ii) verification of the effectiveness of the video lessons. The NPE was developed in two video lessons with content related to pain processing. After, volunteers with chronic pain watched the video lessons. Knowledge of pain neurophysiology was assessed using a validated questionnaire before and after exposure to the video lessons. The clinical effect of the change in the level of knowledge about pain neurophysiology was tested by effect size. Results: Three professional researchers with extensive experience in NPE and a neuroanatomy lecturer comprised the team of experts. The thematic axes guiding the content suggested by the experts were: anatomy and neurophysiology; neurobiology and multifactorial aspects of the pain experience; strategies for dealing with pain. In the phase of testing the effectiveness of the video lessons, six volunteers with chronic low back pain participated. The NPE was found to be capable of increasing knowledge about the neurophysiology of pain with an effect size of 0.90, which is considered large. Conclusion: The systematization of information on NPE in video lessons in accordance with the suggested guidelines proved to be adequate and effective, at least in the short term, in increasing knowledge of pain neurophysiology.