Communication and Activation in Pain to Enhance Relationships and Treat Pain With Equity

. COOPERATE seeks to improve patient activation in minority Veterans with chronic pain by focusing on two major skill sets: 1) goal clarification and prioritization, and 2) communication skills (Table 1). By understanding, clarifying, and prioritizing goals, and having the skills to communicate their goals, priorities, and preferences to providers, Veterans will gain knowledge, confidence, and skills to be actively involved in managing their chronic pain. The intervention consists of 6 total sessions delivered individually over 12 weeks: 4 sessions focused on teaching skills related to goal clarification/prioritization and communication (30-minutes each), delivered weekly for the first 4 weeks, plus 2 booster sessions (20-25 minutes each) delivered once per month for the next 2 months.