NCT03555435

Pilot Study of Peer-Supported Online Problem-Solving Program

Pilot Study of Standalone and Peer Supported Online Problem Solving Program in Veterans With Untreated Mental Health Problems

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 81 (actual)
• Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Many Veterans with mental health care needs go without care due to stigma, practical problems with getting services, and a high value on self-sufficiency. VHA has developed online programs aimed at fostering MH that are easy to access and may be more acceptable than psychotherapy. The purpose of this study is to learn whether peer-supported use of an online problem-solving course is acceptable and helpful and whether the study data can be collected online. Results of this pilot study would inform a larger study of the impact on problem-solving and mental health of a non-stigmatizing, online program - with and without peer support. If effective, peer supported online programs would improve the quality of care to Veterans with unmet mental health needs.

Detailed description

Approval will be obtained from VA primary care staff leaders at Palo Alto Division and VA Palo Alto Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) to mail notes and a study information card to patients who do not have stop codes for mental health or integrated care in their EMR records for the past six months. The study information cards will describe the study, how to enroll, and will direct the Veteran to REDCap eligibility screening questions. When eligibility is confirmed, REDCap will automatically alert research assistant to enroll participant and randomize. Primary Care Mental Health Integration staff at each clinic may also refer patients to the study by entering referral information directly into secure, encrypted REDCap files or by handing the patient a study information card. Community veterans will be invited via social media marketing. Ads will link to a study web site. Study web site will link potential participants to REDCap eligibility screening questions. When eligibility is confirmed, REDCap will automatically alert research assistant to enroll participant and randomize. Veterans who decide to be in the study will be assigned by chance to one of three groups: An On Your Own group, a Peer Support group, or a Wait group. Veterans assigned to take the Moving Forward course with peer support or on their own will complete the course online and practice the problem-solving skills they learned for six weeks. Finishing the Moving Forward course takes a total of about four hours. Veterans in the peer support group will speak with a Veteran who is experienced with the course on the phone for 15 to 20 minutes once a week during the study about using the ideas and exercises in the course to solve problems. Veterans assigned to the wait group will answer questions online about problem-solving skills and their well-being at the start and after six weeks). They will be able to take the course if they would like to after the six weeks have passed. Veterans in the On Your Own and Peer Support groups will answer questions online at the beginning, middle, and end of the study about problem-solving skills, their opinions about the course and about peer support (if they got it), and their well-being. This will take 10 to 15 minutes each time.

Conditions

• Problem-solving
• Well-being
• Peer Support
• Online Mental Health Program

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Moving Forward On Your Own	Participants in this group will use the online program on their own for 6 weeks.
BEHAVIORAL	Moving Forward with Peer Support	Participants in this group will use the online program on their own for 6 weeks with the support of a peer coach. Peer coaching sessions will consist of 6 15-20 minute sessions one time per week. Sessions will be guided by a Moving Forward Peer Support Manual.
BEHAVIORAL	Wait	Participants in this group will wait 6 weeks.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-09-28
• Primary completion: 2019-09-30
• Completion: 2019-11-30
• First posted: 2018-06-13
• Last updated: 2023-07-27
• Results posted: 2020-12-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States