Personalizing Chronic Pain Management with AI—New Research

As the complexity of managing chronic pain continues to challenge traditional treatment approaches due to the highly individual nature of pain, it’s important to explore options that are customizable to each patient. A study recently published in the Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Technology proposes a new framework suggesting that personalization, grounded in artificial intelligence (AI) and personality psychology, may improve pain management outcomes.

This research proposes a model that uses AI-powered personality assessments to inform and tailor chronic pain management strategies. By integrating established personality theories, such as the Big Five and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), clinicians can gain deeper insight into how each patient perceives, expresses, and copes with pain. These insights enable more individualized interventions that address not just the biological, but also the psychological and behavioral dimensions of pain.

What sets this framework apart is the use of multimodal AI tools to analyze personality traits through behavioral data, offering a more objective and scalable method for profiling. This could allow clinicians to match treatment strategies, ranging from communication style to cognitive-behavioral supports, more closely with a patient’s ability to cope and their personal preferences.

Case studies included in this research illustrate how AI-informed personality profiling can enhance both patient satisfaction and clinical efficacy. For example, patients with high neuroticism may benefit from interventions emphasizing emotional regulation, while those with high conscientiousness may respond well to structured self-management plans.

Importantly, the paper also highlights the ethical considerations surrounding AI-driven personalization, including informed consent and data privacy. As such tools begin to shape clinical decision-making, transparency and patient-centered values must remain front and center.

In conclusion, this emerging model calls for a broader AI-Powered Holistic Pain Management Initiative, with the potential to transform how we approach chronic pain, from a one-size-fits-all model to one that is genuinely tailored, multidimensional, and informed by the evolving science of personalization.

Implications for Practice:

This technology could have several positive impacts on pain care. For example:

• Enhanced patient engagement and adherence through personalized care
• Promoting more targeted, efficient use of interdisciplinary interventions
• Collaboration between pain medicine, psychology, and data science

While this kind of technology may not be readily available right now, these points should be considered. Pain care should be personalized and holistic, incorporating interdisciplinary approaches.

As technology and behavioral science converge, this framework represents a promising step toward smarter, more effective, and more humane chronic pain care.

Source:

Akshi Kumar, Rahul Seewal, Dipika Jain, Ravleen Kaur, Framework for Personalized Chronic Pain Management: Harnessing AI and Personality Insights for Effective Care, Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Technology (2024), DOI: https://doi.org/10.37965/jait.2024.0457