Effectiveness of a Telephone-Delivered Behavioral Treatment to Improve the Quality of Life of Older Adults With HIV

September 19, 2022 updated by: Ohio University

Telephone-Delivered Coping Improvement Intervention for HIV Infected Older Adults

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone-delivered coping improvement group intervention in improving quality of life in older adults with HIV.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

According to a 2004 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by December, 2003, more than 57,000 people in the United States were 55 years of age or older when they were diagnosed with AIDS. Furthermore, the CDC predicts that, by 2015, 50% of all cases of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. will occur in people 50 years of age or over. HIV infected older adults tend to experience elevated levels of depression and suicidal ideation, confront complex barriers to medical and mental health services, and lack social support resources. Unfortunately, very few interventions are available to improve quality of life in older adults living with HIV/AIDS. Moreover, many older adults with HIV/AIDS do not receive adequate treatment because of geographic isolation, physical limitations, or confidentiality concerns. A therapy program administered via the telephone may be a more accessible option for this population. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone-delivered coping improvement group intervention in improving quality of life in older adults with HIV.

Participants in this 11-month, single-blind study will first complete self-administered surveys in the privacy of their own homes. Participants will then be randomly assigned to one of the following three study groups: (1) individual therapy upon request; (2) telephone-administered supportive-expressive group therapy; or (3) telephone-administered coping improvement group therapy. Participants in Group 1 will receive no active treatment, but will have access to community-based support services that are commonly available to people living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, participants in Group 1 who experience pronounced periods of emotional crisis and request assistance will be provided with brief, individual, telephone-based therapy by study clinicians. Participants in Groups 2 and 3 will partake in 12 weekly conference calls lasting approximately 90 minutes each. Six to eight participants and two group facilitators will be connected via telephone each week. Separate conference call groups will be conducted for men who have sex with men, heterosexual men, and women. For Group 2, the first 60 minutes of each session will focus on discussing topics believed to be of interest to older adults with HIV and providing up-to-date information related to living with HIV/AIDS. The last 30 minutes of each session will be devoted to discussing topics raised by the group. For Group 3, cognitive-behavioral principles will be used to evaluate stressor severity, develop problem- and emotion-focused coping skills, determine the relationship between coping strategies and stressor controllability, and optimize coping through use of social support resources. Between weekly sessions, participants will also work to improve coping abilities on their own. All participants will complete follow-up assessments via telephone over the 8 months following completion of the interventions.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

360

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • Phase 3

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

    • Ohio
      • Athens, Ohio, United States, 45701
        • Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine; Geriatric Medicine

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

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Currently living with HIV or AIDS
  • Score of 75 or higher on the Mini-Mental Status Examination

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Active use of drugs and/or alcohol
  • Poor cognitive functioning

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: 1
Participants will receive individual therapy upon request
Participants will receive no active treatment, but will have access to community-based support services that are commonly available to people living with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, participants who experience pronounced periods of emotional crisis and request assistance will be provided with brief, individual, telephone-based therapy by study clinicians.
Active Comparator: 2
Participants will receive telephone-administered supportive-expressive group therapy
Telephone-administered supportive-expressive therapy is aimed to improve relationships with friends, family members, and health care providers. Participants in will partake in 12 weekly conference calls lasting approximately 90 minutes each. Six to eight participants and two group facilitators will be connected via telephone each week. Separate conference call groups will be conducted for men who have sex with men, heterosexual men, and women. The first 60 minutes of each session will focus on discussing topics believed to be of interest to older adults with HIV and providing up-to-date information related to living with HIV/AIDS. The last 30 minutes of each session will be devoted to discussing topics raised by the group.
Experimental: 3
Participants will receive telephone-administered coping improvement group therapy
Telephone-administered coping improvement therapy is aimed to improve coping in older adults living with HIV/AIDS. Participants will partake in 12 weekly conference calls lasting approximately 90 minutes each. Six to eight participants and two group facilitators will be connected via telephone each week. Separate conference call groups will be conducted for men who have sex with men, heterosexual men, and women. Cognitive behavioral principles will be used to evaluate stressor severity, develop problem- and emotion-focused coping skills, determine the relationship between coping strategies and stressor controllability, and optimize coping through use of social support resources. Between weekly sessions, participants will also work to improve coping abilities on their own.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Depression
Time Frame: Measured at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4- and 8-month follow-up
Measured at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4- and 8-month follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Coping
Time Frame: Measured at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4- and 8-month follow-up
Measured at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 4- and 8-month follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Rebecca Cale, Ohio University IRB

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

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

February 1, 2007

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2012

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 16, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 16, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

August 17, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 22, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 19, 2022

Last Verified

May 1, 2013

More Information

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.

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