Screening for Poverty And Related Social Determinants to Improve Knowledge of and Links to Resources (SPARK)

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Poverty
• Interventions: Behavioral: Community Health Worker

• Registration Number: NCT04461080
• Lead Sponsor: Unity Health Toronto

Brief Summary

The SPARK RCT will test the impact of engagement with a Community Health Worker who is embedded in interprofessional primary care teams on change in estimated annual income at 6 months for people living in poverty.

Detailed Description

Population: Patients seen by interprofessional primary care teams who are living on estimated annual incomes that are below the Canadian Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO)

Intervention: A Community Health Worker who implements an intervention that addresses a number of social needs, including improving income security, access to prescription medications, access to housing, reducing social isolation, paying for utilities and access to transportation

Control: Information on community resources on social needs

Outcome: Change in estimated annual income between baseline and at 6 months

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2020-07-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-07-02
• Study First Posted: 2020-07-08
• Status Verified: 2024-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-06-17
• Last Update Posted: 2024-06-18
• Study Start: 2024-08
• Primary Completion: 2025-05
• Study Completion: 2025-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 110

Inclusion Criteria

• 18+ years old AND live in a household with an income below the Low-Income Cut-OFF AND agree to receive assistance with social needs

Exclusion Criteria

• Has worked with a similar CHW or intervention in the past 1 year.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Information on community resources	Community Health Worker	Patients randomized to the control group will receive a list of tailored written information.
Integrated care promoter	Community Health Worker	Patients who are randomized to the intervention group will be connected with a trained Community Health Worker (CHW). The CHW is a peer with lived-experience of system navigation that could have a background in social work, health promotion or community work. All CHWs will receive 2 weeks of training to assist participants with social needs.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
change in estimated annual income	6 months	The primary outcome will be change in estimated annual income, assessed at baseline and at 6 months.