The study aims to:
a) develop and assess new measures for chronic pain and their consequences,
b) develop a group based psychosocial treatment manual for chronic pain which can be used by mental health staff,
c) develop an internet based individualised treatment programme for chronic pain (web-based intervention),
d) train health staff in the manualised treatment and web based intervention, and
e) incorporate treatment as part of normal medical and psychosocial services. It is our firm belief that all three institutions involved, with their experience, expertise and international research presence, are fully qualified in taking on and implementing this goal.
b) develop a group based psychosocial treatment manual for chronic pain which can be used by mental health staff,
c) develop an internet based individualised treatment programme for chronic pain (web-based intervention),
d) train health staff in the manualised treatment and web based intervention, and
e) incorporate treatment as part of normal medical and psychosocial services. It is our firm belief that all three institutions involved, with their experience, expertise and international research presence, are fully qualified in taking on and implementing this goal.
The University of Cyprus, The University of Crete and the Institute of Neurology and Genetics Cyprus have a high quality knowledge base and the necessary specialisation for good quality outcomes.
Using both the European and the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, "ALGEA" aims to develop a new environment for the management of chronic pain in Greece and Cyprus, one that can help the patient and their family cope with a variation of chronic pain problems, aid medical staff in their effort to minimize pain, as well as contribute to a change in culture, whereby, individualised intervention and amelioration of patient quality of life is key. The study has been designed and managed in such a way so as to follow the European Federation of Neurological Association (EFNA) goals as well as the targets set about by our team e.g. "to initiate and develop European standard interventions for chronic pain". EFNA bases its goals on information gathered by 15 European countries and suggests that the EU should have minimum entry criteria for enrolment into treatment programmes (Baker, 2010).
Our study proposes that people are assigned to support groups, named "Feeling my pain", which aim at teaching people what it means for someone to be in pain, by acting as a channel of communication and support for patients and their families. It is anticipated that results dissemination as a consequence of the treatment groups and needs assessment will aid the European decisions board for pain management design better suited, more effective programmes.
