RISE With Veteran Service Providers (RISE Vet)

McMaster University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Veterans; Veterans Family; Domestic Violence; Child Maltreatment

Treatments: Other: Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) Education Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05490004

HiREB # 14243

Details and patient eligibility

About

Veterans and their families are more likely to experience forms of family violence like intimate-partner violence and child maltreatment. Evidence suggests that healthcare and social service providers (HSSPs) need more training to effectively and confidently recognize and respond to these situations. The Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action (VEGA) Educational Intervention is a novel education intervention aimed at improving provider's preparation for these clinical encounters. The goal of this project is to determine the acceptability and feasibility of a future randomized-controlled trial comparing two approaches (facilitator-led VEGA or self-directed VEGA) to administering the VEGA training to understand whether/how these approaches can support HSSPs continued care of veterans and their families. The investigators aim to generate initial estimates of the effectiveness of both approaches in improving HSSPs knowledge and skills to effectively recognize and respond to intimate-partner violence and related forms of family violence, including child maltreatment. As well, the investigators aim to contribute to the knowledge base regarding optimal educational approaches for HSSP education in family violence.

The investigators hypothesize that there will be significant increases in preparedness, knowledge and skills, and self-efficacy to recognize and respond to both CM and IPV in both the experimental and AC arms from Time 1 (baseline) to Time 2 (immediately after the intervention) and Time 1 (baseline) to Time 3 (3 month follow-up). These improvements will be slightly attenuated in the experimental arm. Qualitative data pertaining to perceived value and impact will corroborate the quantitative findings.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 100 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participant is a regulated healthcare or social service provider that is an active member in good standing with the associated regulatory college.

• Participant is fluent in written and spoken English.

• We are looking for participants who are currently working with or have previous experience working with military and/or RCMP veterans or their family members. Participants must meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Participant works with military and/or RCMP veterans or family members of military and/or RCMP veterans in a direct service capacity at least one day per week OR
  2. Participant has two years or more of experience working with military and/or RCMP veterans or family members of military and/or RCMP veterans in a direct service capacity OR
  3. Participant has worked with 15 or more patients that were either military and/or RCMP veterans or family members of military and/or RCMP veterans in a direct service capacity.

Exclusion criteria

• Participant has previously accessed VEGA intervention materials.
• Participant is currently enrolled in or plans to enroll in any other educational intervention focused on family violence within the study time period (approximately next 3 months).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

80 participants in 2 patient groups

Facilitator-Led VEGA

Active Comparator group

Description:

Facilitator-led VEGA uses a group-based approach where participants complete the Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) content as a virtual or face-to-face workshop (i.e., facilitator-led VEGA). In this study, all workshops will be virtual to prevent social gathering during COVID-19. If a participant is randomized to this arm, the active control arm, they will be informed that they need to attend a facilitator-led VEGA session via virtual workshop format. The AC intervention will be facilitated via Zoom technology, by two trained facilitators with between 10 to 20 participants in each workshop (keeping the recommended 10:1 participant-to-facilitator ratio) and will last approximately 3 hours. The workshop approach is delivered by trained facilitators and is standardized via the use of a flexibly structured facilitator's guide. Facilitator-led VEGA will deliver material didactically with synchronous lecturing, use case-based role play, and include group-based polling.

Treatment:

Other: Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) Education Intervention

Self-Directed VEGA

Experimental group

Description:

Self-directed VEGA uses an approach where participants complete the Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) content online as a self-directed educational activity, at their own pace in a series of modules. Individuals will register to access the VEGA Education Resources site. Participants have the option of completing the self-directed VEGA arm in either English or French as the VEGA Educational Resources site offers the content in French and English. If a participant is randomized to the experimental arm, they will be asked to complete the self-directed VEGA at their convenience, within one week of when they are informed they have been asked to complete the self-directed VEGA program. It will take approximately 3 hours for participants to complete all modules. Participants will read didactic material, complete case-based animated simulations, and complete individual multiple-choice questions with response feedback.

Treatment:

Other: Violence, Evidence, Guidance, Action Project (VEGA) Education Intervention