RIDOH Research

Report CommunicationsꢀResearchꢀforꢀ

ChronicꢀPainꢀandꢀDiseaseꢀManagementꢀProgramsꢀꢀ

ꢀMay,ꢀ2019ꢀ

Purpose

Theꢀfollowingꢀprovidesꢀtheꢀresultsꢀofꢀfourꢀfocusꢀgroupsꢀwithꢀpeopleꢀwhoꢀidentifyꢀasꢀhavingꢀchronicꢀpainꢀand/orꢀaꢀchronicꢀcondition.ꢀꢀTheꢀpurposeꢀofꢀtheꢀgroupsꢀwasꢀtoꢀdetermine:ꢀ•ꢀ Whatꢀpeopleꢀareꢀdoingꢀtoꢀdealꢀwithꢀchronicꢀpainꢀandꢀdiseaseꢀ

•ꢀ Whatꢀprogramsꢀandꢀservicesꢀtheyꢀareꢀawareꢀofꢀ

•ꢀ TheꢀblockersꢀandꢀdriversꢀtoꢀenrollingꢀinꢀtheꢀDOHꢀprogramsꢀ

•ꢀ Theꢀmostꢀeffectiveꢀwaysꢀtoꢀreachꢀpeopleꢀwhoꢀmightꢀbenefitꢀfromꢀtheseꢀprogramsꢀ

Participant Profiles

4ꢀFocusꢀGroupsꢀ–ꢀ2ꢀperꢀlocationꢀ•ꢀ 26ꢀParticipants:ꢀ16ꢀWomenꢀ&ꢀ10ꢀMenꢀ•ꢀ Approx.ꢀ80%ꢀ65ꢀ-74,ꢀ20%ꢀ75ꢀ–ꢀ84ꢀ•ꢀ Haveꢀchronicꢀpainꢀandꢀchronicꢀconditionsꢀ

•ꢀ Arthritis,ꢀAfib,ꢀAsthma,ꢀCOPD,ꢀCrohn’sꢀdisease,ꢀDiabetes,ꢀꢀHypothyroidism,ꢀNeuropathy,ꢀStrokeꢀ

Aprilꢀ3ꢀ–ꢀPilgrimꢀSeniorꢀCenterꢀ-ꢀWarwickꢀ•ꢀ Men:ꢀ4ꢀParticipantsꢀꢀ•ꢀ Women:ꢀ8ꢀParticipantsꢀ•ꢀ PredominantlyꢀCaucasian:ꢀJewish,ꢀItalianꢀ

andꢀAnglo/IrishꢀAprilꢀ4ꢀ-ꢀSt.ꢀMartinꢀdeꢀPorreꢀ-ꢀProvidenceꢀ•ꢀ Men:ꢀ6ꢀParticipantsꢀ•ꢀ Women:ꢀ8ꢀParticipantsꢀ•ꢀ PredominantlyꢀAfrican-Americanꢀ&ꢀHispanicꢀ

About the Target

Audience

Allꢀareꢀinꢀpain,ꢀbutꢀnotꢀallꢀconsiderꢀitꢀ“chronicꢀpain.”ꢀꢀ•ꢀ “SometimesꢀIꢀthinkꢀofꢀpainꢀasꢀjustꢀpartꢀofꢀbeingꢀolder.”ꢀTheꢀtermꢀ“chronicꢀpain”ꢀisꢀconfusingꢀandꢀperhapsꢀshouldn’tꢀbeꢀused.ꢀ•ꢀ Someꢀthinkꢀ“chronic”ꢀrefersꢀtoꢀ

intensityꢀofꢀpain,ꢀandꢀnotꢀlengthꢀofꢀtimeꢀ

Mostꢀpeopleꢀhaveꢀbecomeꢀsoꢀinuredꢀtoꢀpainꢀtheyꢀthinkꢀmoreꢀinꢀtermsꢀofꢀlackꢀofꢀmobility.ꢀ•ꢀ “Youꢀgetꢀusedꢀtoꢀit.ꢀꢀIt’sꢀpartꢀofꢀ

life.”ꢀ

Awareness of

Programs

The majority of participants are not aware of the DOH programs, in particular the chronic pain self-management program.

A few have participated in “Own Your Health” programs, but were not aware that it was a OYH or DOH program.

“I found out about it through the nurse at the Center.”

“The activities director told me about it.”

Participants cited many ways in which they deal with pain such as, mindfulness, yoga, acupuncture, Reiki and massage therapy.

Awareness of

Programs

Where do you find out about Pain Management Programs?

•ꢀ YMCA

•ꢀ Veterans Administration. Participants say the VA and YMCA offer useful brochures for healthy resources.

•ꢀ Continuum at Butler Hospital

•ꢀ Senior Center Bulletin Board

•ꢀ Health Insurance Carrier

•ꢀ Physical Therapy Practices; Pathos Physical Therapy, A lot of physical therapy places are affiliated with RI Hospital. A couple mentioned a new therapy place, Lifespan Community Health Institute

•ꢀ Information from Primary Care Doctor- they give info on physical exercises, encourage walking, etc.

•ꢀ Participated in a RI Hospital/ Brown University study accessed through a flyer in Dr’s office

•ꢀ Pain Management Program at Pilgrim Center, found out about it through the nurse / Healthy Living Group

Key Learning

Participants react or “key in” to the word “Pain.”

•ꢀ “That would catch my eye because I suffer from pain everyday. I would look at it because it has the word pain.”

Men admit they are stubborn, and in many cases must be pushed by their wives and partners to address their health issues.

People are wary of solutions that might involve medications.

•ꢀ “I’m leery of them (DOH) experimenting with medications.”

People are looking for lasting solutions. •ꢀ “Twice a month, I go for cranial neck

therapy, but it doesn’t last.”

People are looking for “Free” solutions. •ꢀ “I get massages for free but I feel I should

tip and that gets expensive.”

Participants provided a number of suggestions that might entice more people to pick up and read the brochure.

Main visual should include a man.

•ꢀ “I assumed it was a program for women.”

Bottom and middle sections should swap positions. The logo in the center has no clear meaning while the copy below says “everything you need to know.”

Participants agreed that a brightly-colored “FREE” badge would get them to notice and grab a brochure.

•ꢀ “I like things that are free.” •ꢀ “If it says free, I’m gonna look at it.” •ꢀ “My healthcare takes a big chunk of my

social security check. So when it says free, I could get information without spending money. And that’s always good.”

Participants reacted positively to the headline “Own Your Health.”

FREEꢀ

People did not want to identify with this couple as they seemed too distressed and too old.

Many people suggested a more positive slant might be more inviting.

Show movement to indicate physical versus emotional pain.

Some considered “Chronic Pain Self-Management Program” to be too clinical and not benefit-oriented.

Bullet points should be larger/ more prominent.

This paragraph is not necessary except, “Proven Results.” “A program with proven results.”

ꢀꢀꢀ

Participantsꢀthoughtꢀtheꢀinsideꢀofꢀtheꢀbrochureꢀwasꢀgenerallyꢀacceptableꢀandꢀuseful.ꢀꢀꢀꢀSomeꢀpeopleꢀsuggestedꢀlessꢀcopy,ꢀbiggerꢀtypeꢀandꢀmoreꢀcolor.ꢀꢀAnd,ꢀallꢀagreedꢀthatꢀtheꢀcallꢀtoꢀactionsꢀonꢀtheꢀbackꢀandꢀtheꢀfrontꢀneedꢀtoꢀbeꢀmoreꢀprominentꢀwithꢀaꢀphoneꢀnumber.ꢀ

Severalꢀparticipantsꢀkeyedꢀinꢀonꢀ“FallꢀPrevention”ꢀasꢀanꢀimportantꢀandꢀinterestingꢀoffering.ꢀꢀ

“Iꢀcanꢀflirtꢀonꢀaꢀcane,ꢀIꢀcan’tꢀflirtꢀonꢀaꢀwalker!”ꢀꢀ

ꢀꢀꢀ

ꢀꢀꢀ

Beꢀaspirational.ꢀPortrayꢀtheꢀtargetꢀaudienceꢀasꢀslightlyꢀyoungerꢀandꢀmoreꢀvigorous.ꢀꢀ

•ꢀ “EvenꢀthoughꢀI’mꢀalmostꢀ70ꢀyearsꢀold,ꢀIꢀdon’tꢀconsiderꢀmyselfꢀseniorꢀlikeꢀelderly,ꢀthatꢀmakesꢀitꢀseemꢀlikeꢀI’mꢀalmostꢀinꢀaꢀchair,ꢀlikeꢀI’mꢀphysicallyꢀdisabled!”ꢀꢀ

•ꢀ “Weꢀallꢀknowꢀwe’reꢀoldꢀbutꢀweꢀdon’tꢀneedꢀtoꢀbeꢀremindedꢀofꢀit.”ꢀ

•ꢀ “I’mꢀnotꢀthatꢀageꢀyet.”ꢀ“Looksꢀlikeꢀit’sꢀnotꢀforꢀus,ꢀit’sꢀforꢀoldꢀpeople!”ꢀ

•ꢀ ”Showꢀpeopleꢀmovingꢀsoꢀyouꢀdon’tꢀthinkꢀit’sꢀaboutꢀemotionalꢀpain.”ꢀ

Executional Considerations

Executional Considerations

Marketing to seniors should focus more on their abilities and on program benefits, rather than on their declining health.

Key themes to promote

•ꢀ Enhancing independence

•ꢀ Providing security

•ꢀ Getting healthier and more fit

•ꢀ Enhancing family relationships

•ꢀ Enjoying life •ꢀ “Older folks want to stay healthy, to maintain

their health.” •ꢀ ”Target audiences view themselves as

younger than they are.”

Suggested Headlines

•ꢀ “Gainꢀmoreꢀmobility.”ꢀ

•ꢀ “Easeꢀpainꢀwithꢀprovenꢀtechniques.”ꢀ

•ꢀ “Easeꢀpainꢀwithꢀlastingꢀtechniques.”ꢀ

•ꢀ “Liveꢀaꢀbetterꢀlifeꢀwithꢀchronicꢀpain.”ꢀꢀ

•ꢀ “Getꢀmoreꢀoutꢀofꢀlife.”ꢀ

•ꢀ Humorꢀmightꢀhelp:ꢀ“Tryꢀourꢀpainꢀmanagementꢀprogram.ꢀItꢀcouldn’tꢀhurt.”ꢀ

•ꢀ “Doꢀyouꢀorꢀdoesꢀsomeoneꢀyouꢀknowꢀsufferꢀfromꢀpain?”ꢀ

•ꢀ Manyꢀpeopleꢀlikeꢀtoꢀpartnerꢀwithꢀsomeoneꢀwhenꢀventuringꢀintoꢀanꢀexerciseꢀprogramꢀꢀ

Media Vehicles

for Warwick

Seniors

A brightly colored poster with big letters for bulletin boards. Hang and/or distribute at:

•ꢀ Flyer / info at YMCA •ꢀ Library in Warwick is a popular gathering spot •ꢀ Warwick Housing Authority will pass out flyers •ꢀ RIDE program •ꢀ Transwick (Warwick only) •ꢀ Grocery store •ꢀ Pharmacy •ꢀ Senior Center Newsletter (paper copy or online) •ꢀ Sparrow Point Newsletter •ꢀ Amos House •ꢀ Health Centers •ꢀ Libraries •ꢀ American Legion/ Elks

Some digital messaging might work •ꢀ Social media: A few participants said they use

social media •ꢀ Directors send email messages to their

members •ꢀ Smartphone usage among seniors is growing

rapidly

Media Vehicles for Providence

Seniors

•ꢀ Health Centers

•ꢀ High Rises

•ꢀ The Markets & Corner Stores

•ꢀ Nursing Homes

•ꢀ Community Organizations – John Hope Center

•ꢀ The 148 Bar - 148 Pavilion Ave, Providence

•ꢀ Bingo Halls

•ꢀ Bus to Foxwoods

•ꢀ Laundromats

•ꢀ Stuffer in Social Security Letter

•ꢀ Direct Mail •ꢀ Social media: A couple of participants said they use

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Conclusion

Materials need more pop, more color. •ꢀ Green = life and energy

Stop centers from posting black and white copies.

Shift the tone and messaging: •ꢀ From: less informational to more

promotional. •ꢀ From: Pain & Suffering à To: Greater

mobility & getting more out of life

Emphasize “FREE,” “Proven Results,” “Lasting Results.”

Use visuals that are more positive and inclusive (gender and racial diversity).

Consider starting a digital campaign.

Follow Oak Street’s approach (next slide).

Conclusion Coming Soon

•ꢀ North Providence, South Providence, Warwick

•ꢀ Offers full range of programs for seniors + medical service

•ꢀ Mission: Oak Street Health is a network of primary care practices for adults on Medicare. Our approach is well care, not sick care. By keeping thousands of patients happy, healthy and out of the hospital, we’ve built a healthcare model that works.

•ꢀ Positive, upbeat tone and manner