Clinical Trial to Evaluate One-to-one Peer Mentoring

NCT ID: NCT02274649

Last Updated: 2019-02-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 194 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2014-04-30
• Study Completion Date: 2016-04-30

Brief Summary

The research will examine the effects of enhanced peer mentor interactions on facilitating a successful transition to community living following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Participants in the research will be assigned to either (1) the control group that will receive traditional peer mentor types of interactions or (2) to the intervention group that will receive an enhanced peer mentor program called the One-on-One Initiative. Assignment to one of these two groups will occur randomly on admission to Shepherd Center; the only stratifying criteria is injury level - C6 and above vs. C7 and below.

Detailed Description

The Peer Support Program was enhanced by the addition of Shepherd staff mentors and volunteer mentors from the community. The Peer Support Supervisor recruited volunteer peer mentors who are at least 10 months post injury, live within a 50 mile radius of Shepherd Center, and have developed a successful reintegration into community living (employed, manage a family, student, etc.). Volunteers completed Shepherd Center volunteer training and were paid a stipend of $20 per patient interaction.

Each recruited volunteer mentor, along with Shepherd Center peer mentor employees, participated in the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation peer support mentor training program to help ensure quality interactions with Shepherd Center patients and understand/practice patient confidentiality awareness. This Foundation provides training on a national level by breaking up the country into eight regions - each with a regional coordinator and training program schedule. The faculty and staff of the University of New Mexico developed and maintain the training and certification program, including the mentor management system. The certification program is a "hybrid" program - a series of on-line modules followed by a one-day on-site session. On-line learning is great for conveying information. It saves time and allows everyone to get that information at their own pace. The one-day training session revisits topics covered in the on-line modules: effective peer mentoring, ethics, communication and resources. It includes breakout groups and group discussions. Benefits of partnering with the Foundation, including providing access to certified peer mentors for patients who live outside the Atlanta area are outlined in the attached document (ReevePeer Partnerships.pdf).

A special training session for Shepherd employees/volunteers involved:

1. Part 1: 3-hour on-line course (notification has been sent to potential mentors by CDRF)

2. Part 2: 6-hour face-to-face training meeting at Shepherd Center on March 10, 2014 These training sessions typically are run on a regional basis, so having the program here at Shepherd saved travel expenses and time for the volunteer participants. The PowerPoint used for the March 10 session is attached.

Subjects in the control group received traditional peer support provided by Shepherd Center currently:

1. Within 5-10 days of admission, the patient is introduced to the peer support team.

2. Patients are seen by peer mentors on a referral basis from therapists, nurses, counselors, or physicians or on request from the patient or family.

3. Patients are made aware of monthly peer support meetings, women's groups and caregiver support groups; participation in these groups is optional for patient and/or family.

4. Patients have access to the SCI Peer Support FaceBook page maintained by the Shepherd Peer Mentors

Subjects in the intervention group (and his/her family) received the enhanced One-on-One initiative:

1. Patient was assigned one primary certified peer mentor and 2-3 supplemental mentors to meet individual patient/family needs (if needed). The Peer Support Supervisor matched certified peer mentors with each patient based on characteristics such as age, date of injury, level of injury, cause of injury, marital status, work status before and after injury, interests, leisure activities, and adaptive equipment utilization. Secondary mentors were used to supplement individual patient/family needs. For example, if guidance is needed regarding airline travel, a peer mentor who has mastered airline travel was consulted if the primary peer mentor did not have this experience.

2. Each patient/family evaluated the interaction with his/her peer mentors. PCORI interviewers facilitated completion of this evaluation. Evaluations were reviewed within one week post completion to modify support provided if indicated and ensure that patient/family needs were met.

3. Patients participated in male and female discussion groups, community dinner, and caregiver dinner sponsored by the peer team. Each meeting includes opportunities for discussion in group settings.These meetings are included in the patients' schedules.

4. Peer mentors provide and organize social networking opportunities on FaceBook (Shepherd SCI peers page), CDRF, SCILife, SPINALpedia, facingdisabilities.com,etc.

On the Shepherd SCI Peers Facebook page, the peer mentor supervisor posts questions posed by patients or community members anonymously and feedback volunteered from any of the >2000 Facebook friends.This is especially helpful for sensitive topics that people may not want to be associated with initiating the question.

Evaluation All study patients were interviewed during the 10th-15th day of their stay at Shepherd Center and completed the Self Efficacy scale. Patients were contacted post via telephone at 3, 30, 90 and 180 days post discharge. At each of these times, they were asked healthcare utilization and Self Efficacy questions.

R

Conditions

Injuries, Spinal Cord

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Intervention

Intervention group receiving one-to-one peer mentoring

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

one-to-one peer mentoring

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Each patient received one-to-one peer mentoring each week during rehabilitation and for 90 days post discharge

Control

Control group receiving general peer support

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

general peer support

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

General (traditional) peer support includes introduction and provision of support services upon request

Interventions

one-to-one peer mentoring

Each patient received one-to-one peer mentoring each week during rehabilitation and for 90 days post discharge

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

general peer support

General (traditional) peer support includes introduction and provision of support services upon request

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• • All patients admitted to Shepherd Center for rehabilitation following spinal cord injury and discharged to a community setting

Exclusion Criteria

• • Not discharged from Shepherd Center
• • Discharged from Shepherd Center to non-community setting

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Shepherd Center, Atlanta GA

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Julie Gassaway

Direct Wellness Research

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Michael Jones, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

VP Clinical Research

References

Gassaway J, Jones ML, Sweatman WM, Hong M, Anziano P, DeVault K. Effects of Peer Mentoring on Self-Efficacy and Hospital Readmission After Inpatient Rehabilitation of Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Aug;98(8):1526-1534.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.02.018. Epub 2017 Mar 23.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 28342829 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

581327-1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id