Feasibility and Acceptability of Empowered Relief for American Indians With Pain During and After Cancer Treatment

This project will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of Empowered Relief (ER) among American Indian adults who are currently receiving or have completed active cancer treatments at Stephenson Cancer Center (SCC). ER is a single-session, Zoom-based, 2-hour, skills-based pain management class delivered by certified instructors. Participants learn three core pain relief skills, develop a personalized plan, and receive access to a free binaural audio app for daily practice. ER has demonstrated moderate efficacy in individuals with chronic non-cancer pain, reducing pain intensity, pain interference, pain-related distress (pain catastrophizing), sleep disturbance, and anxiety at 3 and 6 months post-treatment. Because of its brief, didactic nature and Zoom delivery, ER can accommodate large class sizes and may address accessibility disparities among underserved cancer populations. While ER is being studied across various non-cancer populations and has been adopted as standard of care in leading healthcare institutions in the U.S. and abroad, it has not been tested in American Indians with cancer.

Inclusion Criteria: * Identifies as American Indian * Has history of a cancer diagnosis * Is currently undergoing or has completed active cancer treatment * Experiences body pain most or every day * Pain duration at least 3 months * English fluency Exclusion Criteria: * Significant psychological and cognitive impairment that limits one's ability to complete study tasks (completion of online survey, attending the Zoom-based ER class) * Life-threatening acute illness (e.g., infection, heart attack, injury) * No access to a computer, a smartphone, or a tablet