Gaining Optimal Osteoporosis Assessments in Long-Term Care (GOAL)

NCT ID: NCT01887392

Last Updated: 2025-07-01

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 6800 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-06-30
• Study Completion Date: 2016-09-30

Brief Summary

The aim of this study is to disseminate the 2010 Osteoporosis Canada clinical practice guidelines, using a multi-faceted Knowledge Translation (KT) model, as KT aims to close the gap between knowledge generated from research and practice. The investigators' primary objective is to evaluate if this intervention can increase the percent of long-term care (LTC) residents receiving appropriate treatment for osteoporosis (i.e. treatment is considered appropriate for an individual over age 50 who has had a diagnosis of osteoporosis or a fragility fracture of the hip or vertebrae and those who have had more than one fragility fracture and is therefore considered high-risk). A secondary objective is to examine whether the intervention increases the percent of all LTC residents receiving Vitamin D equivalent to ≥800 IU/day.

Detailed Description

Individuals who live in LTC are at high risk for osteoporosis and fractures, particularly hip fractures, which lead to pain and transfer to acute care. The investigators' previous work in LTC has shown that awareness and use of clinical practice guidelines in LTC are low. To successfully transfer knowledge, it is imperative to understand the needs of the LTC teams and to tailor KT interventions appropriately.

Interventions which focus on strategies to overcome barriers and on new ways to deliver and promote the uptake of best practices that are specific to both the learning needs of LTC health care providers and the operational/organizational culture in LTC are greatly needed. Interdisciplinary teams who participated in the Vitamin D and Osteoporosis Study (ViDOS) indicated several process barriers that may hinder the proper identification and treatment of fractures in LTC. There is a need to educate Ontario LTC practitioners on the osteoporosis guidelines. The investigators' aim is to facilitate the uptake of Osteoporosis Canada 2010 Clinical Practice Guidelines, across Ontario LTC homes using the ViDOS multi-faceted KT model. Furthermore, the investigators will have a greater emphasis on the implementation of guidelines which includes risk assessment and appropriate medication use.

Conditions

Osteoporosis

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Wave A

LTC Homes randomized into Wave A will receive the intervention first. The intervention includes Knowledge Translation Education Sessions.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Knowledge Translation Education Sessions

Intervention Type: OTHER

Two interactive sessions will be delivered to the interprofessional team at Month 1 and Month 6 and are 1 hour in length. The Clinical Consultant Pharmacist at each LTC home will lead the Knowledge Translation Sessions. Participants will watch an educational video, developed by the co-investigators with expertise in osteoporosis and geriatrics and members of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. Accompanying materials that support the topics in the video will be provided. Following the educational video, one of the experts from the video will phone the LTC home to address questions and provide the home with direct access to an expert.

Wave B

LTC Homes randomized into Wave B will receive the intervention after Wave A. The intervention includes Knowledge Translation Education Sessions.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Knowledge Translation Education Sessions

Intervention Type: OTHER

Two interactive sessions will be delivered to the interprofessional team at Month 1 and Month 6 and are 1 hour in length. The Clinical Consultant Pharmacist at each LTC home will lead the Knowledge Translation Sessions. Participants will watch an educational video, developed by the co-investigators with expertise in osteoporosis and geriatrics and members of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. Accompanying materials that support the topics in the video will be provided. Following the educational video, one of the experts from the video will phone the LTC home to address questions and provide the home with direct access to an expert.

Interventions

Knowledge Translation Education Sessions

Two interactive sessions will be delivered to the interprofessional team at Month 1 and Month 6 and are 1 hour in length. The Clinical Consultant Pharmacist at each LTC home will lead the Knowledge Translation Sessions. Participants will watch an educational video, developed by the co-investigators with expertise in osteoporosis and geriatrics and members of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. Accompanying materials that support the topics in the video will be provided. Following the educational video, one of the experts from the video will phone the LTC home to address questions and provide the home with direct access to an expert.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• A minimum of 2 physicians for each LTC home served by a Pharmacy provider

Exclusion Criteria

• LTC homes that have only one prescribing physician

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

McMaster University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Alexandra Papaioannou

Hamilton Health Sciences

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Alexandra Papaioannou, MD, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

McMaster University

Locations

St. Peter's Hospital

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Countries

Canada

Other Identifiers

REB 13-229

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id