Depression Screening in Black Churches

Columbia University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: SBIRT; Behavioral: Referral as Usual

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04524767

1R01MH121590-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

AAAT1474

Details and patient eligibility

About

The overall aim of this study is to employ Community Health Workers (CHWs) to screen for depression in 30 Black churches and compare the effectiveness of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) (Intervention arm) to Referral As Usual (Control arm) on treatment engagement for depression. The investigators will assess patient-level outcomes (Mental-Health Related Quality of Life and depressive symptoms) at 3- and 6-months post-screening and conduct a mixed-methods process evaluation to assess multi-level facilitators and barriers of screening uptake.

Full description

African American adults (AAs), compared to White adults, are half as likely to be screened for depression in primary care settings. Disparities in depression screening contribute to poor clinical outcomes, as AAs with depression are more disabled, sicker longer, and less likely to seek treatment compared to Whites. Black churches are trusted settings that provide "de facto" mental health services for depression. Indeed, in the first study of its kind, the study team found that 20% of adults in Black churches screened positive for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). However, no subjects with a positive screen (PHQ-9 ≥10) accepted a treatment referral when offered by research coordinators onsite for each screening.

Community Health Workers (CHWs), who are trusted para-professionals from the target community, may bridge the gap between depression screening and treatment. The investigators have trained and certified 102 CHWs from 42 Black churches in Harlem, New York to deliver an evidence-based intervention called Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), which is centered on culturally tailored Motivational Interviewing (MI). Thus, the scientific premise of this study is that employing CHWs to implement depression screening in Black churches will bridge the gap between church-based depression-screening and engagement with clinical services.

Using a Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation design, the investigators propose a 2-arm, mixed-methods Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial within 30 Black churches our CHWs currently attend. Based on our pilot data, the investigators expect 20% of adults (n=600) to have a positive depression screen. Adults will be randomized based on church study site to either SBIRT (n=15 churches) or Referral As Usual (RAU, n=15 churches). The investigators will then compare the effectiveness of SBIRT (Intervention arm) to RAU (Usual Care arm) on treatment engagement (primary outcome), defined as attending a depression-related clinical visit for which the subject reported receiving information, referral, counseling, or medication for depression (Aim 1). The investigators will then compare changes in Mental Health Related Quality of Life and depressive symptoms (secondary outcomes) at 3- and 6-months post-screening (Aim 2). Finally, the investigators will conduct a concurrent, mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) process evaluation to assess contextual facilitators and barriers of screening and referral (Aim 3).

Enrollment: 505 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults 18 years and older
• Fluent in English
• Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score and/or Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 ≥ 10

Exclusion criteria

• Reporting active suicidality, or verbally endorsing homicidal ideation or psychotic symptoms
• Currently receiving formal mental health treatment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Screening

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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505 participants in 2 patient groups

SBIRT

Experimental group

Description:

SBIRT will involve screening with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); brief intervention with Motivational Interviewing (MI); and referral to specialty treatment, as needed for subjects with persistent depressive symptoms.

Treatment:

Behavioral: SBIRT

Referral As Usual

Active Comparator group

Description:

Referral as Usual will involve distributing depression educational materials (e.g., from the National Institute of Mental Health) and contact information for treatment providers in our target community

Treatment:

Behavioral: Referral as Usual