Web-based Rehabilitation for Persistent Physical Symptoms. (DigiPimo)

The Effectiveness of Web-based Rehabilitation for Enhancing Workability and Daily Functioning for Persistent Physical Symptoms.

Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) might diminish studying or workability and daily functioning without a clear medical or environment-related explanation. Psychosocial, patient-involving treatments that support individuals' abilities managing with the PPS and health behaviours have shown promising effects in treating PPS but the acceptability of these treatments among symptomatic individuals is low.

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of an eHealth intervention based on relational frame theory and acceptance and commitment therapy on PPS with two focus groups, among participants with indoor air associated disabling symptoms or persistent, chronic fatigue.

This study will compare web program enhanced with video-based individual case formulation with treatment as usual. The web program includes 10 one weeks (pilot included 6 two weeks) modules. In addition to patient-reported outcomes, ecological momentary assessments are conducted to provide real-time data on functioning and national registers are used to obtain information on health-care use and social benefits.

Data collection begins in August 2020 and will continue until 2023.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Persistent Physical Symptoms; Indoor Environment Associated Symptoms; Indoor Air Associated Symptoms
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Case formulation with web-program

Detailed Description

Background: Frequent physical symptoms are common in the general population with over 90 per cent of the population reporting symptoms at some level. In some cases, they become persistent diminishing workability and daily functioning and associate with increased healthcare usage and sick leaves independently of other somatic or psychiatric comorbidities. Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) challenge health care systems as it is estimated that up to 4-30 per cent of primary health care visits are due to PPS without a clear medical explanation. Psychosocial, patient-involving treatments, such as cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy (CBT), that support individuals' abilities managing with the PPS and health behaviours have shown promising effects in treating PPS but so far, evidence-based treatments have resulted only in small to moderate effect sizes. The acceptability of these treatments among symptomatic individuals is also low - presumably because of the stigma related to the ambiguity of the PPS´ status as a medical condition. A stronger orientation to personalized treatment protocols is needed to improve the treatment efficacy and applicability.

This study will assess the effects of an eHealth intervention based on relational frame theory and acceptance and commitment therapy on PPS with two focus groups, among participants with indoor air associated disabling symptoms or persistent, chronic fatigue.

Methods: Using a randomized controlled design (RCT) with two parallel groups in a 1:1 ratio, the investigators will compare ACT/RFT-based web program enhanced with individual case formulation with treatment as usual. The web program intervention includes 10 one weeks (pilot included 6 two weeks) modules that each ask to complete the module and included training in two weeks. The web program is in Finnish. Participants will be asked to complete outcome questionnaires at baseline before the interview for inclusion, after the interview (randomization) and at 3, 6- and 12-months' follow-up after the randomization. The intervention group receives also a questionnaire four weeks after the beginning of the web program. In addition, ecological momentary assessments are also conducted to provide real-time data on functioning and national registers are used to obtain information on healthcare use and social benefits to complete patient-reported outcomes.

Eligible participants will be randomized to either the intervention or to TAU. The primary outcome will be a health-related quality of life. The secondary outcome measures are symptoms, illness perceptions, psychological flexibility and workability. Further, the investigators will assess whether any effect of the intervention on the primary outcome is mediated by the case formulation. The baseline data collection begins in August 2020 and will continue until 2022, follow-up data collection will continue until 2023.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 105
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Uusimaa
    • Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland, 00270
      • Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Fluent Finnish (web-program is in Finnish)
• Duration of the symptoms Onset of symptoms with disability maximum of 3 years before the study
• Symptomatology A) Indoor air-related symptoms or B) Persistent, chronic fatigue

A) Indoor air-related symptoms

1. Self-reported symptoms attributed to indoor (non-industrial) environments include: i) symptoms from at least two different organ systems eg. respiratory, digestive or nervous system.
2. Symptoms recurrently i) occur in more than one indoor environment or ii) continue despite environmental improvements (e.g. study or work arrangements and/or workplace repairs)

or

B) Chronic fatigue

1. Post-exertional malaise and/ or post-exertional fatigue.
2. Unrefreshing sleep or disturbance of sleep quantity or rhythm disturbance.

3. Multiorgan symptoms i) Pain, often widespread, ii) Two of more neurological or cognitive symptoms, iii) At least two symptoms of following categories: Autonomic manifestations, neuroendocrine manifestations or immune manifestations

   • Duration and severity of the condition: Symptoms minimum of six months; Symptoms are not lifelong and result in substantial functional restrictions in daily life.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Work situation: Long sick leave (≥3 months) without return to work plan, not actively participating in study or work life (retired or unemployed)

• Medical reasons

  1. Some serious and/or acute medical disease or illness explains the symptoms i) Somatic disease that explains the symptoms (e.g. uncontrolled asthma, hypothyroidism, sleep apnea)
  2. Psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, alcohol and/or drug dependency or abuse, eating disorders, and/or severe mood disorders)
  3. Developmental disorders
• Current psychotherapy
• Other Patient refusal

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Case formulation with web-program; The intervention will start with two video meetings with a psychologist to build up and present an individual case formulation, based on behavioural analysis, and to build up a shared decision of individual goals for the web program. The intervention continues with a web program consisting of ten manualized web-based modules, each at one-week intervals based on relational frame theory (RFT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The pilot programme included six two-weeks modules and it was in use until 5/2021. The programme is in Finnish. Both participants in the intervention arm and in the treatment as the usual arm will receive usual care, meaning that TAU will be enhanced with the study intervention in the intervention arm. In addition to TAU, all participants will be given self-help and educational leaflet based on scientific knowledge related to their condition.	Behavioral: Case formulation with web-program; The first meeting includes an interview to establish understanding on the participant´s symptomatology and current life situation, a case formulation (CF) will be build based on it. The CF is presented in the second session and modifications can be made to ensure acceptability for the participant. Goals for web program (WB) are set based on the CF and understanding of the factors contributing to the participant´s wellbeing. WB modules are instructed to complete during the week. Modules include psychoeducation, experiential exercises and training aimed at improving wellbeing and psychological flexibility. Web-therapist will offer written feedback. The participants can contact the therapist via the WB and al messages will be replied within one week. Automatic reminders will be sent if a participant has not been active in the WB, the therapists will call participants who have discontinued using the WB.
No Intervention: Treatment as usual; Treatment as usual includes all the routine care that individual receives when he or she is presenting his or her symptoms at the primary or the occupational health care unit (corresponds primary care level treatment) or other unit that recommends the study for the participant. In practice, TAU may vary between the study participants based on their individual needs e.g. treatments for co-morbid somatic diseases or psychiatric disorders that this study will not interfere. Both participants in the intervention arm and in the treatment as usual arm will receive usual care, meaning that TAU will be enhanced with the study intervention in the intervention arm. In addition to TAU all participants will be given self-help and educational leaflet based on scientific knowledge related to their condition.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The 15D questionnaire (health related quality of life)	The 15D is a utility-based generic, standardized measure, comprising the following 15 dimensions that describe physical, mental, and social well-being: mobility, vision, hearing, breathing, sleeping, eating, speech, excretion, usual activities, mental function, discomfort and symptoms, depression, distress, vitality, and sexual activity. Each dimension is graded by the respondent on a scale ranging between 1 and 5, where 1 indicates an experience of no problems at all with the dimension and 5 indicates severe problems. Thus, the 15D can be used to measure a vast number of health states. We will use the 15D data both to derive 15D overall scores with values from 1 (full health) to 0 (being dead), and to obtain dimensional symptom profiles.	Chance from baseline (i.e. at self-referral) to after randomisation (i.e. after clinical assessment), and to 6 and 14 weeks and to 6 and to 12 months after randomisation

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Demographic questions: age (years)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Demographic questions: gender (male, female, prefer not to say)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Demographic questions: marital status (Unmarried, married or cohabiting, divorced or separation, widow)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Demographic questions: education (basic, secondary, higher)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Demographic questions: daily exercise	One item of the frequency of the exercise on a six point likert scale (No weekly exercise - 4 times/week or more)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Demographic questions: Diet	Two items of the diet on a six point likert scale (have daily regular eating habits - have no regular eating habits; Caffeine consumption never - 7 or more proportion per day)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Social support and loneliness	Five questions of frequency of perceived loneliness and and social support in challenging situations (likert scale).	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Smoking, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit-C)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about health: Self-reported health	Five point likert scale (very poor - very good)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about health: Self-reported diseases (diagnosed by medical doctor)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about health: medication	Self-reported medication during past four weeks (name, dose, purpose of use)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about health: Health care unit	An open question of the participant´s health care provider.	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about health: Information seeking	Questions about health information seeking from different sources (on a six point likert scale)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about health: height in meters	height in meters to calculate BMI kg/m^2	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Questions about health: weight in kilograms	weight in kilograms to calculate BMI kg/m^2	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Work characteristics	Questions about participant work characteristics (working hours, field of industry etc)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 12 months after randomisation
Symptoms related to environmental factors	Questions whether environmental factors such as mold or water damage in buildings, electromagnetic fields, chemicals or indoor air have associated with symptoms and have they associated with avoidance behavior (yes - no).	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 6 and 14 weeks and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Health worries and health worries related to environmental factors	Questions about health worries in general and related to environmental factors (scale 0 not worried at all - 10 extremely worried)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Environmental factors: influence on everyday life	Questions about the influence of environmental factors on everyday life (scale 0 no consequences - 10 severe consequences)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Resiliency (SOC-3)		Time Frame: At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Personality Inventory (PK5)		Time Frame: At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Questions about sleep quality, sleeping patterns	Length of sleep (weekdays and weekends, hours)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and, 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about sleep quality, sleeping patterns	Nap (frequency per week and length, hours)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about sleep quality, sleeping patterns	Self-reported i) sleep quality, ii) night awakening iii) sleep disorders and iv) frequency of sleeping medicine usage at five point likert scale.	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Questions about sleep quality, sleeping patterns	Self-reported quality of rest and rhythmicity at four point likert scale.	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Fatigue	Questionnaire about perceived fatigue and its´consequences on daily functioning during past six months.	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
AIDO Healthcare app: daily mood and fatigue		1.5, 3.5 and 12 months after randomisation
The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire -II AAQ-7		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 6 and 14 weeks and, 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy CompACT		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks, 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ-7)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 6 and 14 weeks and, 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Whiteley index -7 questionnaire		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), and 14 weeks and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), after randomization and 14 weeks and, 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), after randomization and 12 months after randomisation
Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS-20)		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral)
Illness Perception Questionnaire		At baseline (i.e. at self-referral) and 6 and 14 weeks and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Self-assessed current ability to study or work	One question about current ability to study or work on a scale 1-10.	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral) and 14 weeks 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Own prognosis of ability to study or work two years from now	One question about of work ability two years from now (scale Unlikely; Not certain; Relatively certain)	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral) and 14 weeks 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Self-assessed stress and recovery	One question about stress and recovery on a scale 1-10.	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral) and 14 weeks and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Daily functioning in three sub-domains.	Three questions about daily functioning (work, social life, home) on a scale 1-10 each	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral and 14 weeks and 6 and 12 months after randomisation
Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) - patient version for eHealth intervention		after randomization and 6 and 14 weeks after randomisation
Treatment satisfaction	Six items of treatment satisfaction based on Seligman´s report (1995). The effectiveness of psychotherapy: The Consumer Reports study. American psychologist, 50(12), 965.	after randomization and 6 and 14 weeks after randomisation

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Interview of treatment acceptance	Interview for sample of intervention participants about the treatment acceptance (qualitative)	12 months randomisation
Engagement to the intervention	Total number of logins and time during the web-program, modules and exercises completed.	14 weeks after randomisation.
Reasons for discontinuing	If participant discontinues he / she will be contacted.	Through study completion, an average of 1 year
The Finnish national health registers	The Finnish national health registers to assess health care expenditures: Data on outpatient visits (AvoHILMO data), data on inpatient care (HILMO data), data on occupational health care use, information on prescribed and reimbursed prescription medicines purchases, information on rights for special reimbursement for medicines and information on sickness and disability benefits and rehabilitation with diagnoses	At baseline (i.e. at self-referral), at 12 months after randomisation

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
• Collaborators: The Social Insurance Institution of Finland; the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Tiina Paunio, Professor, University of Helsinki, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 18, 2020
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): July 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Anticipated): September 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 18, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 26, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 31, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 4, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 2, 2023
• Last Verified: January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Rehabilitation; Web-based intervention; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Indoor air; Persistent physical symptoms; Indoor environment; EHealth
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Virus Diseases; Infections; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Encephalomyelitis; Fatigue; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic
• Other Study ID Numbers: 3531101

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No
• IPD Plan Description: All IPD that underlie results in a publication could be published But: study participants choose in informed consent that do they accept that their IPD will be published (anonymized). If they choose 'no´, their data won´t be published. Thus the preliminary plan is not to share the IPD (´undecided' would be accurate as well).

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No