Development of a Patient Centered Mental Health Intervention for Recent Veterans (PCC MH)

Recent Veterans of the OIF/OEF/OND conflicts are presenting in VA care with high rates of: PTSD, depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse, reporting significant difficulties with community reintegration, and dropping out of mental health care at high rates. Surveys of recent Veterans show that Veterans want the VA to provide mental health care tailored to their concerns and reintegration priorities. The VA is committed to providing personalized, proactive, patient centered care (PCC); but little research or intervention development has been done on PCC in mental health care settings and preliminary research indicates Veterans may lack the skills and knowledge to be active partners in PCC. This study aims to examine PCC behaviors in VA mental health care and, informed by this data, develop a brief patient centered mental health intervention that will help recent Veterans take the lead in their care personalization and support their functional recovery. Results from this study will demonstrate the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of this intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Substance-Related Disorders; Depression; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: person-centered mental health intervention; Behavioral: health and wellness

Detailed Description

Project Background: The term "recent Veterans" refers to Veterans who served in the military operations Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. Almost 60% of recent Veterans who received VA care have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, most commonly posttraumatic stress disorder (32%), depressive disorders (26%), anxiety disorders (25%), and substance abuse (13%). The research literature consistently confirms that recent Veterans with stress-related mental health disorders experience impairment in functional domains of health (overcoming and managing disease), purpose (meaningful daily activities and participation in society), and community (positive relationships and social networks).

Project Objectives: The proposed research will characterize patient centered care in VA mental health care and produce a brief patient centered intervention that will empower Veterans to lead and personalize their mental health care in support of their functional recovery. In Aim 1 of this research the investigators will characterize rates of providers' and recent Veterans' (n=30) participation in the four components of PCC, as well as barriers and facilitators of each PCC component, to inform development of a brief patient centered mental health intervention in Aim 2. In Aim 2 the investigators will develop a brief patient centered mental health intervention for recent Veterans experiencing stress-related mental health disorders and conduct a pre-pilot demonstration (n=10) to assess acceptability. This intervention will be informed by data collected in Aim 1 and developed using an iterative process of discussion with and input from recent Veterans, VA mental health providers, peer specialists, and researchers. Finally in Aim 3 the investigators will test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the brief intervention by conducting a randomized controlled trial with 48 recent Veterans with stress-related mental health disorders.

Project Methods: In Aim 1 data will be collected at one time point using surveys and a recording of a Veteran provider encounter which will be coded to quantify Veteran and provider patient centered care behaviors. Intervention development in Aim 2 will be led by a multi-stakeholder Advisory Panel and further developed using Veteran focus groups. Acceptability will be demonstrated via qualitative interviews following a pre-pilot demonstration project with 10 Veteran participants. In Aim 3 data will be collected at baseline, post-RCT participation, and 3 month and 6 month follow-up. Feasibility will be assessed with study administration data on engagement and participation in the intervention and preliminary efficacy will be evaluated via quantitative analysis of functioning from self-report surveys.

Note: Measure of Patient Centered Care (Patient-centered Communication) was removed as a measure. The MPCC requires recording a patient-provider encounter and coding it. When the pandemic occurred previous methods of recording encounters and physically bringing an approved recording device to the provider's office prior to the session, was no longer viable. Investigators had to suspend recording until approved technology guidance was provided. When a means was identified it was so cumbersome no providers agreed to record.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 48
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Maryland
    • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201
      • Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
    • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21202
      • Rehabilitation R&D Service, Baltimore, MD
    • Perry Point, Maryland, United States, 21902
      • Perry Point VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Perry Point, MD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Per medical record review:

• military service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, or Operation New Dawn (OIF/OEF/OND)
• Veteran accessed mental health care (MHC) service at designated study site for the first time in the last 6 months OR the first time in the last 6 months after at least a one year gap in mental health care
• have a diagnosis of PTSD (309.81), major depressive disorder (296.20-296.23, 296.30-296.33), other specified or unspecified depressive disorder (311), social anxiety disorder (300.23), panic disorder (300.01), generalized anxiety disorder (300.02), other specified or unspecified anxiety disorder (300.09, 300.00), substance use disorders (303.90, 304.00, 304.10, 304.30), Unspecified Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorder (309.9), Other Specified Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorder (309.89), or Adjustment Disorder (309.20- 309.25)
• age between 18 and 65
• sufficient clinical stability to participate as deemed by a treatment provider
• Veteran consents to having one mental health encounter recorded and coded
• Veteran's relevant provider consents to having one mental health encounter recorded and coded

Exclusion Criteria:

Per medical record review:

• current diagnosis of a psychotic disorder meeting criteria established by the VA Serious Mental Illness Treatment, Research, and Evaluation Center (SMITREC):

  • schizophrenic disorders (295.0-295.9)
  • affective psychoses (296.0-296.1, 296.4-296.8)
  • or major depression with psychotic features (296.24, 296.34)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: person-centered mental health intervention (PCMHI); We anticipate that the PCMHI will be comprised of three, one-hour sessions offered over three to six weeks, scheduled at the participants' preference. Sessions will be one-on-one and the peer support specialist interventionist.	Behavioral: person-centered mental health intervention; We anticipate that the PCMHI will be comprised of three, one-hour sessions offered over three to six weeks, scheduled at the participants' preference. Sessions will be one-on-one and the peer support specialist interventionist.
Active Comparator: health and wellness; The control condition will be an educational health and wellness intervention for stress related disorders that will match the experimental condition for time and attention. The control condition will be three, one hour, individual sessions covering the symptom cycle, managing stress, and identifying social supports.	Behavioral: health and wellness; The control condition will be an educational health and wellness intervention for stress related disorders that will match the experimental condition for time and attention. The control condition will be three, one hour, individual sessions covering the symptom cycle, managing stress, and identifying social supports.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey (Change in Self-assessment of Functioning - Role Limitations) Due to Emotional Problems	The Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey measures health-related quality of life in 8 domains, 4 of which will be utilized in this study: (1) role limitations due to emotional problems, (2) vitality, (3) social functioning, and (4) mental health. Scores range from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating better functioning.	6 months
Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey (Change in Self-assessment of Functioning - Vitality)	The Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey measures health-related quality of life in 8 domains, 4 of which will be utilized in this study: (1) role limitations due to emotional problems, (2) vitality, (3) social functioning, and (4) mental health. Scores range from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating better functioning.	6 months
Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey (Change in Self-assessment of Functioning - Social Functioning)	The Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey measures health-related quality of life in 8 domains, 4 of which will be utilized in this study: (1) role limitations due to emotional problems, (2) vitality, (3) social functioning, and (4) mental health. Scores range from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating better functioning.	6 months
Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey (Change in Self-assessment of Functioning - Mental Health)	The Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey measures health-related quality of life in 8 domains, 4 of which will be utilized in this study: (1) role limitations due to emotional problems, (2) vitality, (3) social functioning, and (4) mental health. Scores range from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating better functioning.	6 months
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (Change in Self-assessment of Functioning - Household Life Activities)	World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 is a 36-item assessment of health and disability across physical and mental health disorders in both clinical and non-clinical settings/populations. It closely corresponds with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Subscales measuring (1) life activities such as domestic responsibilities, (2) life activities such as school and work, and (3) participation in community activities. Items are scored on a 0-100 scale. Lower scores indicate less disability.	6 months
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (Changes in Self-assessment of Functioning - School/Work Life Activities)	World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 is a 36-item assessment of health and disability across physical and mental health disorders in both clinical and non-clinical settings/populations. It closely corresponds with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Subscales measuring (1) life activities such as domestic responsibilities, (2) life activities such as school and work, and (3) participation in community activities. Items are scored on a 0-100 scale. Lower scores indicate less disability.	6 months
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (Changes in Self-assessment of Functioning - Participation in Community Activities)	World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 is a 36-item assessment of health and disability across physical and mental health disorders in both clinical and non-clinical settings/populations. It closely corresponds with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Subscales measuring (1) life activities such as domestic responsibilities, (2) life activities such as school and work, and (3) participation in community activities. Items are scored on a 0-100 scale. Lower scores indicate less disability.	6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (Change in Depression Symptoms)	Depression Anxiety Stress Scale is 21 self report items scored on a 4-point Likert scale that ranges from 0 (not at all) to 3 (applied very much). It has three subscales: depression (7 items with a possible score from 0 to 21), anxiety (7 items with a possible score from 0 to 21), and stress (7 items with a possible score from 0 to 21). Higher scores indicate greater symptomology.	6 months
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (Change in Anxiety Symptoms)	Depression Anxiety Stress Scale is 21 self report items scored on a 4-point Likert scale that ranges from 0 (not at all) to 3 (applied very much). It has three subscales: depression (7 items with a possible score from 0 to 21), anxiety (7 items with a possible score from 0 to 21), and stress (7 items with a possible score from 0 to 21). Higher scores indicate greater symptomology.	6 months
PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (Change in PTSD Symptoms)	PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 is the most current version of the PTSD Check List (PCL), the gold standard of PTSD symptom assessments. Its 20-items use a 5-point Likert scale (0-not at all to 4-extremely) that maps on to the diagnostic criteria outlined in the DSM-5. The PCL-5 is appropriate for both clinical and research purposes and is recommended for monitoring symptom change. The PCL-5 is summed to create a total score with a possible range of 0 to 80. A score of 31-33 or higher is indicative of a provisional diagnosis of PTSD and preliminary validation has established that a 10 point change is clinically significant.	6 months
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Change in Alcohol Use Symptoms)	Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test is a 10-item self-report instrument with each item scored on a scale of 0-4 for a total possible score of 0 to 40. The items obtain information on the frequency and amount of drinking and alcohol-related problems. A score of 8 or more is associated with harmful or hazardous drinking.	6 months
Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) - (Change in Substance Use Symptoms)	Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) is a 10 item, yes or no response measure of drug use. The possible scores range from 0 to 10. The DAST 10 scores are divided into five levels of symptomology (0 No problems reported; 1-2 Low; 3-5 Moderate; 6-8 Substantial; 9-10 Severe) and level change is considered clinically significant.	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Samantha Hack, PhD, Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 31, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 20, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 20, 2016
• First Posted (Estimated): October 24, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 26, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 21, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: mental health; Veterans; Patient-Centered Care
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Stress Disorders, Traumatic; Substance-Related Disorders; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
• Other Study ID Numbers: D2159-W; 1IK2RX002159-01A2 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Final datasets will be maintained locally until enterprise-level resources become available. Final data sets will be made available to the public upon request as outlined in Question 5 above. Specifically, complete person-level data will be provided as either a Limited Dataset or as a de-identified, anonymized dataset depending on the needs of the requester.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No