PEERS Plus - mHealth Enhanced Peer Support to Reduce Depression Among Low-income and Ethnic Minority Older Adults
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Depression in Old Age
- Sponsor
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Enrollment
- 34
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Intervention Feasibility
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 6 months ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The goal of this intervention study is to design and learn whether peer support that is delivered through video chats and texts can decrease depression among older adults. Participants will be assigned to a peer support program where they will receive 8 video chats with a peer mentor who provide social support and supportive texts over 8 weeks.
Detailed Description
PEERS plus is a psychosocial intervention being developed to reduce depression among older adults. In this intervention peer mentors who are also 50 years of age and older and who have experiential knowledge of depression provide depression care. Older adults with depression will be recruited and assigned to the peer support program. This will consist of 8 weekly peer mentor - older adult video chats that provide emotional support and sharing of self-care skills for depression. Supportive texts will be sent on a weekly basis to older adults by peer mentors. These texts will provide encouragement, affirmations and information about mental health resources. Peer mentors are trained and supervised by a mental health professional during the 8 week period. We will assess at baseline, post study and 3 months after the intervention.
Investigators
Jin hui Joo, MD, MA
Assistant Professor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •50 years and older
- •PHQ-9 score \> 5,
- •on the same antidepressant dose for at least 3 months
- •if receiving psychotherapy, frequency is at most once a month
- •able to communicate in English
- •able to give informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
- •meet diagnostic criteria for mania or hypomania
- •active suicidal ideation
- •meet diagnostic criteria for psychotic syndrome
- •meet diagnostic criteria for substance abuse or dependence
- •cognitive impairment, with a score on the Short Blessed Test \> 9.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Intervention Feasibility
Time Frame: 18 months
Proportion of the participants who complete 80% of their weekly meetings with the peer coach.