Pain Coping Skills Training for African Americans With Osteoarthritis

This study will examine the effectiveness of an 11-session, culturally enhanced, telephone-based pain coping skills training program among African Americans with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA). The study team will enroll n=248 African Americans with hip or knee OA. The participants will be randomized into two groups. One group will take part in an 11-week pain CST intervention. The other group will be a \"wait list\" that receives the pain CST program after completing all follow-up study measures. All study participants will be able to continue any other usual medical care for their OA during the study period. The pain CST intervention includes 11 individual sessions with a study counselor, delivered via telephone to enhance access and reach. The sessions include the following: general information about why pain coping skills training is important, training in specific pain coping skills (such as progressive muscle relaxation, communication, imagery, and activity pacing), and guided practice with each skill. The CST program will also include information about other behaviors important for OA, such as physical activity and weight management. The main study outcome will be the pain subscale of the Western Ontario and McMasters Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Other outcomes will include the WOMAC function subscale, Coping Strategies Questionnaire, Arthritis Self Efficacy Scale, depressive symptoms, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Patient Global Impression of Change.