Be Well at Work-Plus: A Depression and Physical Activity Intervention for Hospital Service Workers (Aim 3)

San Diego State University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Physical Inactivity; Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: A workplace-based depression intervention for low-wage hospital workers

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT07010133

IRB-24-0260

K23HL157763 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This small randomized controlled trial will evaluate a workplace-based depression intervention that is tailored to the specific social and behavioral needs of low-wage hospital service workers. The intervention involves assessment of depression-related work impairment, work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, work coaching, social needs screening and referral, and text message support for mood and physical activity.

Full description

Depression and physical inactivity are leading contributors to cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Low-wage workers, who comprise one third of all workers in the U.S. and are essential to many industries, are more likely to be physically inactive and to have cardiometabolic conditions and depression, yet the participants are half as likely as higher wage workers to utilize preventive care. Targeted workplace initiatives have been successful in improving employee health, but low-wage workers are difficult to engage, in part due to a high burden of social disadvantage (e.g., food and housing insecurity, time and financial constraints). There are few, if any, workplace interventions for depression that specifically target low-wage workers and the participants unique social risk factors. This study was designed using a planned adaptation approach that involved low-wage workers in the design of the intervention to increase engagement and feasibility. The study will test an evidence-based 8-session telephone-delivered depression intervention for working adults, Be Well at Work, and critical adaptations for low-wage workers: assessment and referrals for social determinants of health (e.g., food and housing insecurity, financial stress), physical activity promotion, and personalized text message behavioral support. The adapted intervention, Be Well at Work-PLUS, will be evaluated through a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing Be Well at Work-PLUS to a waitlist condition. The primary objectives are to assess acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary clinical outcomes. The primary preliminary clinical outcome is depression symptom severity, and secondary outcomes are physical activity, sleep quality, blood pressure, and BMI).

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• part-time or full-time employment (at least 20 hours per week);
• ≥18 years old;
• employed in low-wage-earning jobs in the Environmental Services or Food & Nutrition Services Departments;
• presence of depression symptoms as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item version; individuals who score ≥5 (indicating mild depression symptoms or higher) will be eligible;
• presence of impairment in work functioning, as measured by the Work Limitations Questionnaire; individuals who score ≥5% (indicating mild work productivity loss) will be eligible;
• possession of a cell phone with ability to receive text-messages;
• Fluent in either English or Spanish.

Exclusion criteria

• plan to leave Scripps employment in <6 months;
• severe mental illness or substance use condition (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, active alcohol use disorder)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

Immediate Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention consists of assessment of depression and work impairment, work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, work coaching, social needs screening and referral, and text message support for mood and physical activity.

Treatment:

Behavioral: A workplace-based depression intervention for low-wage hospital workers

Waitlist Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Delivered after a 4-month waitlist period, the intervention consists of assessment of depression and work impairment, work-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, work coaching, social needs screening and referral, and text message support for mood and physical activity.

Treatment:

Behavioral: A workplace-based depression intervention for low-wage hospital workers