Randomized Trial of Reverse Colocated Integrated Care on Persons with Severe, Persistent Mental Illness in Southern Texas

Abstract

Background: Persons with severe, persistent mental illness (SPMI) are at high risk for poor health and premature mortality. Integrating primary care in a mental health center may improve health outcomes in a population with SPMI in a socioeconomically distressed region of the USA.

Objective: To examine the effects of reverse colocated integrated care on persons with SPMI and co-morbid chronic disease receiving behavioral health services at a local mental health authority located at the US-Mexico border.

Design: Randomized trial evaluating the effect of a reverse colocated integrated care intervention among chronically ill adults.

Participants: Participants were recruited at a clinic between November 24, 2015, and June 30, 2016.

Interventions: Receipt of at least two visits with a primary care provider and at least one visit with a chronic care nurse or dietician, compared with usual care (behavioral health only).

Main measures: The primary outcome was blood pressure. Secondary outcomes included HbA1c, BMI, total cholesterol, and depressive symptoms. Sociodemographic data were collected at baseline, and outcomes were measured at baseline and 6- and 12-month follow-ups.

Key results: A total of 416 participants were randomized to the intervention (n = 249) or usual care (n = 167). Groups were well balanced on almost all baseline characteristics. At 12 months, intent-to-treat analysis showed intervention participants improved their systolic blood pressure (β = - 3.86, p = 0.04) and HbA1c (β = - 0.36, p = 0.001) compared with usual care participants when controlling for age, sex, and other baseline characteristics. No participants withdrew from the study due to adverse effects. Per-protocol analyses yielded similar results to intent-to-treat analyses and found a significantly protective effect on diastolic blood pressure. Older and diabetic populations differentially benefited from this intervention.

Conclusions: Colocation and integration of behavioral health and primary care improved blood pressure and HbA1c after 1-year follow-up for persons with SPMI and co-morbid chronic disease in a US-Mexico border community.

Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov , Identifier: NCT03881657.

Keywords: blood pressure; diabetes; integrated care; mental illness; primary care.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they do not have a conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1

Study flow diagram, Tropical Texas Behavioral Health Integrated Care Trial.