Pilot Evaluation of AboutFace: Novel Peer Education Resource for Veterans

NCT ID: NCT02486692

Last Updated: 2019-06-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2015-04-30
• Study Completion Date: 2016-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the AboutFace peer education website for the purpose of reducing stigma and improving attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Veterans.

Detailed Description

Research suggests that at least 1 in 10 Veterans will meet criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to their military experience. Treatment is widely available to Veterans with PTSD, and national dissemination initiatives have increased Veterans' access to best practice interventions. However, treatment seeking remains strikingly low among Veterans with PTSD. In fact, most Veterans with PTSD do not seek mental health services due to perceived stigma and other associated barriers. The National Center for PTSD recently developed and launched AboutFace, a peer education resource for Veterans. The investigators of this study believe that AboutFace has tremendous potential to reduce stigma and improve attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Veterans. However, it has not yet been evaluated. Investigators have partnered with the National Center for PTSD to launch this mixed methods pilot evaluation of AboutFace. There will be two phases to this study. During Phase I- Usability, 20 Veterans will be recruited to participate in individual interviews during which they will be asked to describe the ease of use of the AboutFace website for the researchers. During Phase II- Feasibility, 60 Veterans will be randomized to one of two conditions- About Face or Usual Care. All participants will complete several brief assessments measuring PTSD symptoms and attitudes toward seeking mental health services. Participants will then be randomized to either receive a link to the About Face website or to receive a link to a general online brochure about PTSD. After two weeks, participants will complete the assessment measures once again to determine any changes in attitudes toward seeking mental health services and potential changes in PTSD symptoms.

Conditions

PTSD

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Phase II- Experimental Group

Participants were provided with instructions and a web link for accessing the AboutFace website after the baseline assessment.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

AboutFace Website

Intervention Type: OTHER

AboutFace is an informational website that utilizes digital storytelling to describe PTSD symptoms and different treatments for PTSD.

Phase II- Usual Care Group

Participants were provided with instructions and a web link for accessing some online PTSD education materials after the baseline assessment.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

AboutFace Website

AboutFace is an informational website that utilizes digital storytelling to describe PTSD symptoms and different treatments for PTSD.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Must be 18 years of age
• Recommended for PTSD treatment following evaluation
• Internet access
• English Speaking

Exclusion Criteria

• Minors under the age of 18
• Non-Veterans
• Negative for PTSD

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

VA Office of Research and Development

FED

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Kenneth J Ruggiero, PhD MA BA

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

Locations

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Countries

United States

References

Kreuze E, Jenkins C, Gregoski M, York J, Mueller M, Lamis DA, Ruggiero KJ. Technology-enhanced suicide prevention interventions: A systematic review. J Telemed Telecare. 2017 Jul;23(6):605-617. doi: 10.1177/1357633X16657928. Epub 2016 Jul 3.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 27377792 (View on PubMed)

Hamblen JL, Grubaugh AL, Davidson TM, Borkman AL, Bunnell BE, Ruggiero KJ. An Online Peer Educational Campaign to Reduce Stigma and Improve Help Seeking in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Telemed J E Health. 2019 Jan;25(1):41-47. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2017.0305. Epub 2018 May 10.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 29746232 (View on PubMed)

Bunnell BE, Davidson TM, Hamblen JL, Cook DL, Grubaugh AL, Lozano BE, Tuerk PW, Ruggiero KJ. Protocol for the evaluation of a digital storytelling approach to address stigma and improve readiness to seek services among veterans. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2017 Feb 17;3:7. doi: 10.1186/s40814-017-0121-3. eCollection 2017.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 28239485 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

PPO 14-360

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id