The transition from in-person to virtual museum programing for individuals living with chronic pain - A formative evaluation

Ian J Koebner; Helen J Chatterjee; Claudia M Witt; Daniel J Tancredi; Ruchi Rawal; Gary Weinberg; Frederick J Meyers

doi:10.1017/cts.2022.392

The transition from in-person to virtual museum programing for individuals living with chronic pain - A formative evaluation

J Clin Transl Sci. 2022 Apr 19;6(1):e58. doi: 10.1017/cts.2022.392. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Ian J Koebner¹, Helen J Chatterjee², Claudia M Witt³, Daniel J Tancredi⁴, Ruchi Rawal⁵, Gary Weinberg⁵, Frederick J Meyers⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA.
² Department Genetics, Evolution and Environment, UCL Biosciences, University College London, UK.
³ Institute for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, University of California, Davis, USA.
⁵ Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, University of California, Davis, USA.
⁶ Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California, Davis, USA.

Abstract

Museum engagement may be an effective approach for decreasing social disconnection and pain among individuals living with chronic pain. In October 2019, we launched a randomized controlled trial to assess the feasibility of museum engagement for individuals living with chronic pain; the study was halted in March, 2020 due to Covid-19-related safety concerns. This paper describes the process of transitioning from in-person to virtual museum programing in order to continue the study. Virtual museum programing is a feasible option for individuals living with chronic pain that is amenable to research and which may improve accessibility, inclusivity, and scalability relative to in-person programing.

Keywords: Museum; chronic pain; research; social connection; virtual museum.