Effectiveness of a Functional Literacy Program for Formerly Homeless Adults
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- Columbia University
- Enrollment
- 23
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) score
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to assess a functional literacy program for formerly homeless adults now residing in supported housing who have difficulty performing daily life skills requiring functional literacy (e.g., bill paying, medication management, community transportation) needed to maintain housing placements. The hypothesis is that intervention group participants will improve in functional literacy compared to the control group that does not receive the intervention.
Detailed Description
Sixty-five percent of homeless adults are reported to be illiterate or marginally literate. The lack of literacy in a high technological society negatively impacts this population's ability to participate in daily life activities including finding and maintaining employment, renting and maintaining an apartment, seeking health care, using public transportation, and managing finances. Poor literacy marginalizes this population from societal participation and maintains this group in a state of lack and deficiency.
A literacy program will be delivered to participants who are formerly homeless and now residing in supported shelter. Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention (n=20) or control (n=20) group. The intervention group will receive the functional literacy intervention over 8 weeks, twice weekly. Intervention sessions will allow participants to learn literacy skills within the context of real-life daily activities like grocery shopping, preparing a meal, and purchasing subway cards. Control group participants will not receive intervention.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 65 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Resident of a supported shelter environment (after homelessness)
- •Self-reported difficulty with basic reading skills needed to participate in desired daily life activities
- •English-speaking
Exclusion Criteria
- •Severe behavioral management disorder that would make cooperation and direction following problematic
Arms & Interventions
Functional Literacy Intervention
The intervention group will receive the functional literacy program in which, in small groups, participants learn literacy skills in the context of daily life activities such as shopping, meal preparation, and transportation use.
Intervention: Functional Literacy Program (Behavioral)
Functional Literacy Intervention
The intervention group will receive the functional literacy program in which, in small groups, participants learn literacy skills in the context of daily life activities such as shopping, meal preparation, and transportation use.
Intervention: Usual Care Management Services (Behavioral)
Functional Literacy Control
The control group will not receive intervention but the Usual Care Management Services.
Intervention: Usual Care Management Services (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) score
Time Frame: 1-week post-intervention
The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) is a 5-item, 10-point rating scale (1=most important, 10=least important) designed to be completed conjointly by a therapist and participant, and requires approximately 30 minutes to administer. The scale allows participants to identify and prioritize the most important problems impacting daily function and can be used with clients of all ages and diagnoses. Participants are asked to identify the five most critical problems impeding functional performance in the areas of self-care, productivity, and leisure. After the identification of five problems, participants are asked to rate both performance and satisfaction levels of the identified activities on a 10-point scale (1=not satisfied; 10=extremely satisfied). An open-ended narrative section is provided to allow therapists to record participant comments. The COPM is intended to be used pre- and post-intervention.
Secondary Outcomes
- Inventory of Reading Occupations (IRO) score(1-week post-intervention)
Investigators
Sharon Gutman
Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine (Occupatio, Rehab & Regenerative Med OT)
Columbia University