Blue Star Cares: Innovative Approaches to Helping Military-Connected Caregivers

NCT ID: NCT03336190

Last Updated: 2022-10-21

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 124 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-06-24
• Study Completion Date: 2020-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this project is to evaluate an interactive training program for military-connected caregivers (MCCs) of wounded warriors. The program leverages existing resources and incorporates evidence-based training and peer-based support networks to enhance continuity of care. The program consists of an educational Toolkit (workbook) and an avatar training interaction where an MCC can practice skills learned from the toolkit training with the avatar (how to navigate difficult conversations). This is an educational training evaluation to determine whether or not avatar interaction can effectively improve health outcomes in MCCs.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this project is to evaluate an interactive training program for military-connected caregivers (MCCs) of wounded warriors. The program leverages existing resources and incorporates evidence-based training and peer-based support networks to enhance continuity of care. The program consists of an educational Toolkit (workbook) and an avatar training interaction where an MCC can practice skills learned from the toolkit training with the avatar (how to navigate difficult conversations). This is an educational training evaluation to determine whether or not avatar interaction can effectively improve health outcomes in MCCs.

The investigators will implement a pre-post design looking at a group of caregivers across multiple time points examining differences in outcomes from baseline (before engaging in the training/intervention) to after completing the training, including follow-ups at 3- and 6-months to evaluate longer-term outcomes.Those enrolled in the intervention will receive the complete training program (toolkit and avatar).

Project participants (i.e., MCCs who engage in the training and follow-up activities) will receive the (a) training toolkit workshop and will engage with the avatar to practice the knowledge and skills described in the workshop or will receive only the (b) training toolkit workshop (control).

Comparing the time differences will enable us to determine if the training program, specifically the avatar interaction, is associated with improved health and quality of life in caregivers of wounded warriors, enhanced caregiver social support and networks, improved patient (wounded warrior) experience of care, and reduced per capita costs of care for both the wounded warrior and caregiver.

Follow-up focus groups and interviews will be conducted to assess caregiver participant perspectives on what worked, what did not work, what they would like to see in the future, how the avatar interaction impacted them, and how the program could be improved in the future, as well as to clarify findings

Conditions

Military Family; Mental Health Disorder; Social Skills; Social Isolation; Communication; Quality of Life

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Intervention

Receives the full program, including the toolkit training and avatar interaction

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

avatar-based training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Interaction with an avatar-based module to practice skills learned during the toolkit training

Interventions

avatar-based training

Interaction with an avatar-based module to practice skills learned during the toolkit training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Participants must be a military-connected caregiver over the age of 18.

Exclusion Criteria

• Participants under the age of 18 or not a military-connected caregiver. Active duty military personnel are unable to participate in this project.

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

Sponsors

Blue Star Families

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Wilcox Research

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Southern California

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sherrie Wilcox

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

UP-17-00273

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id