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Objective. To understand how patients’ use of photo-elicitation and online social networks (Facebook) enhances their understanding of what itmeans to live with pain. Design. Qualitative substudy of the intervention armof a randomized trial. Setting/Subjects. Primary care patients living with pain drawn from nine family practices with at least two pain visits in the last six months. Methods. The private Facebook group was co-facilitated by a moderator and a patient-investigator who lives with chronic pain. Patients were asked to share photos that elicit their lived experience with chronic pain, and facilitators guided participants in ongoing discussion about these photos, and thus the life with pain. Facebook discussionswere analyzed via Dedoose (a qualitative analysis software) using thematic analysis. Results. Discussions of photos elicited three overarching themes regarding patients’ lived experience with chronic pain: 1) patients’ redefined pain identity; 2) pain interference with enjoyment of life and activities; and 3) patients’ diminished ability to function. Conclusions. Photo-elicitation is an innovative way to shed light on patients’ lived experience with chronic pain. Despite some technical challenges, Facebook support groups utilizing photo-elicitation can provide a readily available platform that can facilitate interchange of patient experiences and might help patients communicate with their providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitalized patients with palliative care needs often have high levels of physical and psychological symptom distress. Virtual reality (VR) with a music therapy intervention may improve physical and psychological symptoms., Objectives: To assess symptom distress and quality of life (QOL) among hospitalized palliative care patients who participated in a virtual reality-based music therapy (VR-MT) intervention, and to explore VR-MT from the perspectives of health care professionals involved in their care., Design: Single-arm pilot study of a two-day VR-MT intervention., Setting/participants: Patients seen by an inpatient palliative care consultation service at a U.S. hospital could participate in the VR-MT intervention. Participants created a customized soundtrack with a music therapist and then listened to it while experiencing a 360-degree VR nature-based environment of their choice., Measurements: Patients completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, revised version (ESAS-r) and McGill Quality of Life, revised version (MQOL-R) before and after VR-MT. Members of the participants' health care teams were interviewed., Results: Seventeen patients completed VR-MT (range 20-79 years of age, 59% women). Moderate clinical improvements were observed for total ESAS-r score (Cohen's d effect size, 0.68), physical distress subscale (0.52), and psychological distress subscale (0.60); small improvements were observed in total MQOL-r score (0.26) and the existential subscale (0.27). Health care team members described the value of VR-MT as facilitating meaningful conversations., Conclusions: This pilot study of VR combined with a music therapy intervention for hospitalized patients with palliative care needs supports opportunities for future study of potential improvements in symptom distress and QOL., (© Adreanne Brungardt et al., 2024; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)