Macular Degeneration and Aging Study (MADAS)

Improving Care Planning and Well-being in Older Adults With Macular Degeneration

The purpose of this randomized trial is to examine the effectiveness of a psycho-social "Preventive Problem Solving Intervention" on emotional well-being, change in future outlook, and vision functioning in 250 Age-related Macular Degeneration patients 60 and older.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Age-related Macular Degeneration
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Preventive Problem-Solving Training; Behavioral: Life and Health Review

Detailed Description

Loss of independence and valued activities places Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) patients at increased risk for depression, anxiety, and disability. Patients' emotional and behavioral responses to AMD can exacerbate the long-term health threat of the disease and contribute to preventable health care costs, loss of productivity, and burden to family members.This is a randomized controlled trial of a psycho-social intervention that addresses three mental health promotion goals: (1) increase emotional well-being, (2) improve future outlook, and (3) protect or enhance current and future-oriented functioning.

The trial examines the effects of the PREPSI for 250 AMD patients, 60 and older, regardless of actual vision acuity. All study participants receive 4 group-based vision education classes and resource information. Subjects are then randomized to Preventive Problem Solving Intervention (PREPSI) consisting of 8 sessions with certified problem-solving trainers or to an Enhanced Attention Control arm.

Assessors blind to treatment condition measure Psychological Well-being immediately post-intervention (Week 16) and at 6-month follow-up, Change in Future Outlook, including Preparation for Future Care from baseline to 16 week and 6-month follow-up, and Vision Functioning at 6 month follow-up. Measures include the Psychological Well-being Scale (Ryff & Keyes, 1995), the Preparation of Future Care Needs Scale (Sörensen & Pinquart, 2001), and the National Eye Institute Vision Functioning Questionnaire-25 (Stelmack, Stelmack, & Massof, 2002). The primary hypothesis is that PREPSI participants will report greater Psychological Well-being and more Preparation for Future Care immediately post-intervention (at 16 weeks) and at 6-month follow-up.

The PREPSI is a short, standardized modification of problem-solving therapy that trains participants to identify and clearly define current and future problems, and then generate, evaluate, choose, and implement solutions. The long-term goal of the investigators research program is to improve quality of life in late adulthood by conducting basic and translational research on preventive future planning.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 216
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • Rochester, New York, United States, 14642
      • University of Rochester

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 60 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of AMD
• 60 years and older
• Able to communicate in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Significant cognitive impairment at baseline (total score on Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) for the Blind <18, equivalent to <21 in the regular MMSE);
• Residence in a nursing home (assisted living facilities are acceptable);
• Patient is acutely suicidal or psychotic

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Preventive Problem-Solving Training; Preventive Problem-solving Training is an adaptation of Problem-Solving Therapy that builds problem-solving skills and then focuses these skills on potential future problems. It aims to reduce avoidance of contemplation of future needs and enhance gathering information, decision-making, and concrete planning about future needs.	Behavioral: Preventive Problem-Solving Training; Preventive Problem-solving Training is an adaptation of Problem-Solving Therapy that builds problem-solving skills and then focuses these skills on potential future problems. It aims to reduce avoidance of contemplation of future needs and enhance gathering information, decision-making, and concrete planning about future needs.
Active Comparator: Life and Health Review; Life and Health Review is an Enhanced Attention Control that provides classes and resource information modules, just as in intervention. It differs from the intervention in that we conduct an 8-session life and health review with subjects, in which they recount life experiences from childhood to the present.	Behavioral: Life and Health Review; Life and Health Review is an Enhanced Attention Control that provides classes and resource information modules, just as in intervention. It differs from the intervention in that we conduct an 8-session life and health review with subjects, in which they recount life experiences from childhood to the present.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Psychological Well-being	The 42-item multidimensional Psychological Well-Being scale (PWB) will assess 6 dimensions of PWB: Autonomy, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Positive Relations With Others, Purpose In Life, and Self-Acceptance. The PWB is a Likert-scored self-report measure, with anchors of "1-disagree strongly" and "6-agree strongly."	at 16 weeks (immediately post-intervention)
Psychological Well-being	The 42-item multidimensional Psychological Well-Being scale (PWB) will assess 6 dimensions of PWB: Autonomy, Environmental Mastery, Personal Growth, Positive Relations With Others, Purpose In Life, and Self-Acceptance. The PWB is a Likert-scored self-report measure, with anchors of "1-disagree strongly" and "6-agree strongly."	at 6-month follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Preparation for Future Care	Preparation for Future Care Measure (PFCM) consists of 29 items in five subscales that assess specific behaviors representative of each of five processes observed in PFC: Awareness of care needs, Gathering Information, Deciding on Preferences, Making Concrete Plans, and Avoidance. It is rated on a fiv-point Likert Scale	from baseline to 16 weeks (immediately post-intervention)
Preparation for Future Care	Preparation for Future Care Measure (PFCM) consists of 29 items in five subscales that assess specific behaviors representative of each of five processes observed in PFC: Awareness of care needs, Gathering Information, Deciding on Preferences, Making Concrete Plans, and Avoidance. It is rated on a fiv-point Likert Scale	at 6-month follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Rochester
• Collaborators: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center; Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Silvia Sörensen, PhD, University of Rochester

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 3, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 21, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): August 25, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 16, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 11, 2019
• Last Verified: April 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Prevention; Problem Solving; Aging,; Macular Degeneration,; Preparation for Future Care,; Psychological Well-being,; Mental Health Promotion
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Eye Diseases; Retinal Degeneration; Retinal Diseases; Macular Degeneration
• Other Study ID Numbers: AG 032032