Project Wellness Enhancement: Increasing Health Care Choice and Outcomes for People With Mental Illness (WE)

Yale University

Status

Completed

Conditions

Mental Health Wellness 1

Mental Illnesses

Other Diagnoses, Comorbidities, and Complications | Patient

Treatments

Behavioral: Peer whole health intervention

Behavioral: EBPs at Wellness Center

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT02263742

1310012851

Details and patient eligibility

About

This project aims to study health outcomes of individuals with mental illness attending a co-located primary health care center in a mental health center. This study uses mixed methods to collect a range of information about who chooses to use what Wellness Center services and in what combinations, with what short and longer-term effects and with what outcomes.

Based on participant interviews, identify barriers to and facilitators of access, service, and improvements in person-centered outcomes and elicit suggestions for enhancing health care outcomes and choice.

Collaborate with persons in recovery in using the data collected through Aims 1 and 2 to develop and pilot the effectiveness of a new peer-led community based intervention in enhancing access and choice and improving person-centered health outcomes.

Full description

Background: Americans with serious mental illnesses (SMI) die an average of 25 years earlier due to modifiable risk factors, medical conditions, and lack of access to quality, coordinated care. Strategies for addressing this disparity have amassed evidence. What remains to be determined is who will choose to use these evidence-based practices (EBPs) when implemented in routine practice, in what combinations, with what short term effects and health outcomes, and what else might be needed for persons for whom these strategies are not effective.

Objectives: The proposed research builds upon the investigators receipt of a SAMHSA grant that established an integrated Wellness Center (WC) within the local mental health center that provides four EBPs: a) on-site primary care; b) screening of clients for modifiable risk factors and medical conditions; c) care coordination; and d) peer health navigation. Through PCORI, the investigators propose to add a comparative effectiveness dimension and a focus on patient-centered outcomes. The investigators specific aims are:

to assess patient preferences and use of services, short-term effects, and longer term outcomes associated with various practices for the population and subpopulations;
to identify barriers to and facilitators of access, service use, and improvements in traditional and patient-centered health outcomes; and
to develop and pilot a peer-led, community-based intervention in enhancing access and choice, and improving patient-centered health outcomes, among 40 treatment-refractory clients of the WC.

The investigators long-term objectives are to: a) identify which practices work for which persons with SMI in improving health and patient-centered outcomes, and b) provide stakeholders around the nation with the knowledge and tools to replicate this model efficiently, effectively, and broadly.

Methods: The sample includes 360 poor, urban adults with SMI who are at risk for or have co-morbid medical conditions. Using participatory and mixed methodology, the investigators will assess Specific Aims 1 & 2 by collecting health and patient-centered outcome data on patients entering the WC and at 6 month follow-up intervals and analyze the data using Linear Mixed Models and logistic regression. Outcome data from the pilot intervention (Aim 3; N=40) will be compared to outcomes of a propensity matched sample of WC patients. Qualitative data will be collected each year through focus groups (N=48 agency stakeholders, year 1) and individual interviews (50 WC patients, years 2 & 3).

Projected Patient Outcomes: Outcomes include both traditional medical/clinical outcomes (e.g., blood pressure, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, HbGA1c, cholesterol, triglycerides, alcohol and drug use, psychiatric symptoms) and a range of patient-centered outcomes to be identified by key stakeholders in the initial phase of research. The investigators previous research suggests that these outcomes are likely to include self-efficacy, quality of life, employment, citizenship, and social connectedness.

Enrollment

204 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

18 years or older
Clients receiving services from CMHC and the Wellness Center.
Research staff will verify with CMHC staff that the potential participant is receiving services currently at CMHC.
Provider research subjects will be included if they are a mental health provider at CMHC or if they are members of the staff for the Wellness Center
Adults with serious mental illness and physical illness

Exclusion criteria

Participant research subjects not receiving services at CMHC and the Wellness Center
Provider research subjects of other agencies will be excluded
Children and youth under 18 years of age