Grant: Catalyst Grant: Digital Health

Chronic pain affects about 1 in 5 people worldwide and is a major health problem. In Canada, many people living with pain cannot access psychological care that could help them manage their symptoms. Wait times for these services are often more than one year. Short digital programs can help improve access because they can be delivered online and cost less. Empowered Relief® is a 2 hour program that teaches people simple skills to help them manage their pain. In 1 session, people learn what pain is, why it happens, and tools that can help them feel more in control of their pain. In 2022, our team translated the live version of Empowered Relief into French in Canada. People reported liking the program, clinicians found it easy to deliver, and results showed real improvements in pain and well-being. However, the new digital version of the program, which allows people to access it on demand, is not available in French. In addition to the language barrier, access to Empowered Relief in French is limited because there are not enough French-speaking instructors. Because Empowered Relief certification is only available in English, many French-speaking clinicians cannot become trained to offer the program. Making the digital Empowered Relief program available in French will allow people to access the program directly online without needing a trained instructor. This will give access to Empowered Relief to over 10 million Canadians who speak French. The goal of this project is to translate and adapt the digital version of Empowered Relief into French. We will work closely with patients and clinicians, interviewing them and testing the digital program to ensure it is culturally relevant, easy to use, and helpful. Once complete, the French digital Empowered Relief will be accessible online and will help improve access to psychological pain care in Canada.