Study Participation

About participating in the study

The University of Utah in collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare and Johns Hopkins University has an opportunity for patients to participate in research attempting to OPTIMIZE Treatment of Low Back Pain (LBP). This study has 1-2 treatment phases where patients will get 1 session a week for 8-weeks. Each treatment phase will consist of a different treatment that is randomly assigned to patients. After the first phase, there will be a survey assessment to decide if you need the second phase or not.

After both treatment phases, there are 2 more survey assessments to see how patients are at 6 months and 1 year.

Treatments Include:

• Physical Therapy: involves doing exercises and working with a physical therapist who may help you stretch and mobilize your back and will help you understand your back pain better.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: involves working with a therapist to understand back pain and how you think about, and to work to find ways to improve your activity and ways to cope with pain.
• Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement: involves working with a therapist to gain better awareness about your pain and learn mindfulness strategies to decrease the amount of attention paid to pain relative to other life activities

Program Costs

Treatments will be billed to patients’ insurance as per normal. Subjects will be compensated $15 per treatment visit (to help patients offset cost of insurance co-payments) and $25 for each completed assessment (4 total assessments)

Where do treatments happen?

Where treatments are provided

Who can participate

Patients are eligible to participate in the OPTIMIZE LBP if they meet all of the following:

• Adults age 18-64
• English speaking
• Chronic Low Back Pain
• Had a healthcare visit for low back pain in the last 90 days
• No surgery to the low back within the last year

Additional eligibility factors will be screened by researchers

How to participate

If you are interested in participating in this study and would like to get more information and screened for eligibility, please contact a researcher associated with where you typically receive care.

University of Utah

Email us
OptimizeLBP@utah.edu

Elizabeth Lane (Research Coordinator)
Phone: 801-213-1539

Mary Derrick (Research Assistant)
Phone: 801-213-1538

Intermountain Healthcare

Matt Schneider
801-507-8065
OptimizeTrial@imail.org

John’s Hopkins

Tricia Kirkhart
Research Assistant
Phone: 410-502-4453