REST Study – Lower Back Pain and Insomnia

Researchers at the University of Virginia are conducting a nationwide study in adults with insomnia and chronic back pain to find better ways to address these conditions.

Study Details:

Help us find out how to improve sleep and manage pain for individuals with chronic lower back pain and insomnia.

The REST Study involves completing some questionnaires about your health, mood, sleep, and pain, as well as using a self-guided program called Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi).  Following SHUTi, participants will be assigned to one of three options:

1. A 4-session meditation training program via remote video with a trained professional
2. A 4-session pain education program, also delivered remotely
3. No extra training beyond the SHUTi program

The benefits of participating may include learning helpful strategies for managing both pain and sleep disturbances, which could improve your overall well-being.  While there is no guarantee of a personal benefit, your participation could contribute to research that helps others facing similar issues.

Why is this study being done?

The Study is being conducted to understand how to better improve sleep and manage pain for individuals who have chronic low back pain and insomnia.

Is this study for me?

You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria:

Inclusion Criteria

• Adults with chronic lower back pain
• Insomnia
• Difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up earlier than intended
• Experienced chronic pain for at least 3 months
• Willing to participate in a clinical trial with remote technology (e.g., internet-delivered intervention and telehealth)

What will happen if I participate in the study?

The REST Study is fully remote.  If you choose to participate in this study, you can expect to spend about 15 hours in total completing all activities.  This is just an estimate – some people may need more or less time.

Here’s what your participation would involve:

• A baseline assessment (about 2 hours) at the beginning
• About 6 hours using SHUTi, an online program, over a 9 week period
• Online questionnaires at 4 weeks, 9 weeks, 11 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months (each taking 30-60 minutes)
• If you are placed in the meditation training program (“Savoring Meditation”) or the Pain Education group, you will also complete 4 additional remote training sessions, each lasting about 30 minutes.

Will I be paid for being in this research study?

You will be compensated $30 for completing each assessment and will receive $50 and $100 bonuses for completing all assessments by the 6- and 12-month time points, respectively, in total, you can receive up to $330 for completing the entire study.

Will it cost me anything to participate in this study?

There is no cost for you to particate in our research study.

More Background:

Chronic low back pain affects millions of people worldwide and is often accompanied by insomnia, defined as chronic difficulty falling or staying asleep resulting in daytime impairments.

In a new study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Patrick Finan, PhD, in the Department of Anesthesiology, and Philip Chow, PhD, in the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, are testing different combinations of interventions for sleep and pain.

All participants in the study will first receive online cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) using SHUTi, a program developed at UVA by co-investigator Lee Ritterband, PhD. Following SHUTi, some participants may receive additional intervention (e.g., meditation or pain education) based on symptom profiles.

This study leverages the complementary methods of Drs. Finan and Chow’s labs by combining accessible digital and telehealth tools to offer new, scalable solutions for people living with chronic pain and insomnia. In addition to Dr. Ritterband, other key collaborators include Matthew Gurka, PhD, in the UVA Department of Public Health Sciences and Michael Smith, PhD, at Johns Hopkins.