Meru Health Program for Cancer Patients With Depression and Anxiety

July 12, 2023 updated by: Nicholas Peiper, PhD, MPH, Meru Health, Inc.

Feasibility of a Therapist-Supported Digital Mental Health Intervention in Addressing Mental Health Symptoms Among People With Cancer: A Mixed Methods Study

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate clinical outcomes among people with cancer who participate in a 12-week therapist-supported digital mental health intervention (DMHI) called the Meru Health Program (MHP). Study participants (N=20) will be referred to the MHP through the Cancer Support Community (CSC) Helpline and network of Gilda's Club locations. The main outcomes will be depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), intervention adherence, and intervention satisfaction. The secondary objective will be to determine the acceptability of the screening and referral process from the CSC networks into the MHP. Data pertaining to implementability will be collected from study participants, MHP clinicians, and CSC staff.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The goal of this single-arm intervention study is to test the feasibility of the Meru Health Program (MHP) in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety among 20 people with cancer referred from the Cancer Support Community (CSC). The MHP is a 12-week digital mental health intervention delivered via a smartphone app. The intervention focuses on cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness skills with the aim of improving mental health symptoms. The platform provides informational videos, skills practices, group discussion, and messaging with a licensed clinician employed by Meru Health. The licensed clinician supports patients as needed and reviews engagement logs within the app. As part of the intervention, depression and anxiety symptoms are measured on a biweekly basis over 12 weeks. For this study, self-reported surveys will be administered at baseline, week 12, and 2-months post-treatment to measure health-related quality of life and intervention satisfaction. In-depth interviews will be conducted with patients. Two focus groups will be conducted with MHP clinicians and CSC navigators to understand barriers and facilitators to the screening processes and intervention delivery.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
22

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Colorado
      • Denver, Colorado, United States, 80014
        • Online Digital Mental Health Clinic

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Positive screen (score >= 3 out of 8) on the anxiety or depression subscale of the CSS 15+ Questionnaire
  • PHQ-9 and/or GAD-7 score >= 5 at clinical intake
  • Willing to commit to the Meru Health Program if selected
  • Proficient in the English language
  • At least 18 years of age at the time of enrollment
  • Has a valid mailing address
  • Owns 1 of the 3 past versions of an Apple or Android mobile phone operating system
  • Currently in active cancer treatment at the time of enrollment

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Active suicide intent with plan to act
  • Substance use disorder in the past 3 months
  • Lifetime bipolar disorder
  • Lifetime psychotic disorder
  • Currently pregnant
  • Less than 3 months postpartum

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Treatment Group
This single-arm study will enroll all 20 participants in the Meru Health Program.
Behavioral: Meru Health Program
The Meru Health Program is a 12-week, evidence-based, smartphone-delivered, therapist-supported digital mental health intervention with as-needed psychiatrist oversight. Enrolled participants work through the program with a cohort of peers similarly affected by depression, with whom they can engage in confidential, anonymous, voluntary group chats overseen by a licensed clinical therapist. The MHP incorporates a continuous care model including daily interaction with a dedicated clinician, several evidence-based treatment components such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral activation therapy, and mindfulness meditation (MM), as well as promising newer types of depression treatments such as HRVB, nutritional psychiatry, and sleep training. Practices are introduced to weekly topics via video lessons that are reinforced via CBT practices, meditations, and biofeedback sessions and therapist messaging.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in PHQ-9 Scores
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up time points
9-item questionnaire to measure depression symptoms
Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up time points
Change in GAD-7 Scores
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up time points
7-item questionnaire to measure anxiety symptoms
Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up time points
Change in Eurohis-QOL-8 Scores
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up time points
8-item Quality of Life questionnaire.
Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up time points
Change in CSS 15+ Scores
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 12 time points
15-item questionnaire to measure psychological distress experiencing and receiving treatment for cancer.
Baseline and Week 12 time points

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Burnout Scores
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up
A single-item questionnaire to address worker stress and burnout.
Baseline, Week 12, and 2 Month Follow-Up

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Meru Health, Inc.

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Eli Lilly and Company
Cancer Support Community, Headquarters

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 6, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 9, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 13, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 18, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 20, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 13, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 12, 2023

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 22-MERU-117

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings