Pain in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with chronic conditions is a common problem. Pain that is not treated properly can reduce quality of life. AYA have to make more choices about managing pain because they are moving from pediatric into very different adult health care programs. If AYA learn how to handle pain when they are young, they might be able to manage their disease better. They may also have fewer limitations because of their pain. Programs to help AYA learn to live with and manage pain are very important.
Our team is working to develop an integrated smartphone application (app) and website for AYA with pain stemming from different chronic conditions. After speaking with AYA and their healthcare providers to find out what features are important for the program, we created a program design. The app will help AYA to track pain, sleep, mood, activities, and exercise. It will help AYA set goals and to meet those goals with the help of other AYA with pain. The app will also give AYA suggestions about how to deal with pain in the moment, and how to work with healthcare providers. The website will give AYA reliable information about pain and how they can manage it on their own. The app and the website should help AYA change how they manage pain.
If the program is found to help AYA change how they manage their pain, then it will be made available for free to all AYA.
