An Internet-based Self-help Intervention to Improve Common Mental Health Problems Among Medical Professionals

NCT ID: NCT06910748

Last Updated: 2025-04-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

120 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-12-20

Study Completion Date

2026-03-31

Brief Summary

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This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an internet-based guided self-help intervention developed based on Problem Solving Therapy, a transdiagnostic low-intensity intervention recommended by the World Health Organization, in improving medical professionals' mental health.

Detailed Description

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Despite the high prevalence of common mental health problems among medical professionals (MPs), their help-seeking for mental health support is low due to barriers such as lack of time, shortage of mental health professionals, and the belief that mental health is not the priority. Existing interventions are empirically effective but practically challenging to be applied in Hong Kong given the long intervention hours and fixed schedule. New interventions are needed to cater for the unique needs of local MPs.

Objectives: An internet-based guided self-help intervention for MPs, E-training for Medical Professionals On Wellbeing and Effective Resolutions (the EMPOWER program), will be developed based on Problem Solving Therapy (PST), a transdiagnostic low-intensity intervention recommended by the World Health Organization. Targeted at local MPs aged 18-60 with depression and/or anxiety symptoms, the intervention aims to reduce their symptoms through strengthening coping skills for work-related problems. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to evaluate (1) the intervention's efficacy in reducing depression/anxiety compared with wait-list control (WLC); (2) its efficacy in improving the levels of PTSD, well-being, burnout, and work performance versus WLC; (3) the potential mediators/mechanisms explaining any between-group differences.

Method: 120 participants will be recruited online. The EMPOWER group will receive four 30-min self-paced weekly intervention sessions. The WLC will receive the intervention after the study period. Data will be collected at baseline, immediately post-intervention and 1-month follow-up. The group effect will be examined by comparing the mean improvement scores and remission rates on the outcome variables among the two groups. The potential mediation effects of adaptive problem solving strategies between the two groups and the outcomes will also be tested.

Expected outcomes: The investigators expect (1) greater reductions in depression and/or anxiety as well as levels of PTSD, well-being, burnout, and work performance for the EMPOWER group at post-treatment and 1-month follow-up than WLC, and that (2) the EMPOWER program will reduce depression and/or anxiety through enhancement in adaptive problem-solving strategies.

Implications: Findings can help to identify a cost-effective, flexible, and readily accessible mental health intervention for local MPs.

Conditions

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Depression, Anxiety

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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The EMPOWER program

The intervention group will receive 4 weekly sessions (the EMPOWER program) in addition to the information about mental health, depression, anxiety and available treatment and community resources received by the waitlist control group.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

E-training for Medical Professionals On Wellbeing and Effective Resolutions (E.M.P.O.W.E.R.)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The EMPOWER programme aims to help participants acquire problem-solving skills adapted into the context of MPs' workplace and daily life to address their work-related, personal, and interpersonal problems, including self-neglect, work-life imbalance, patient communication problems, as well as stress during emerging public health crises. The session elements include video introduction, metaphors, daily examples, and narrative stories with prototype MP characters depicting the targeted problems to demonstrate how the taught problem-solving skills could be applied in a variety of situations. Brief exercise and homework will be assigned after each session and personalized written feedback will be provided.

Education materials

The waitlist control group receive education materials about mental health, depression, anxiety and available treatment and community resources but not the EMPOWER prgoram during the intervention period.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Education Materials

Intervention Type OTHER

The waitlist control receive education materials covering (1) introduction of mental health problems; (2) signs, symptoms, causes, and consequences of anxiety and depression, and (3) treatment approaches and available community resources.

Interventions

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E-training for Medical Professionals On Wellbeing and Effective Resolutions (E.M.P.O.W.E.R.)

The EMPOWER programme aims to help participants acquire problem-solving skills adapted into the context of MPs' workplace and daily life to address their work-related, personal, and interpersonal problems, including self-neglect, work-life imbalance, patient communication problems, as well as stress during emerging public health crises. The session elements include video introduction, metaphors, daily examples, and narrative stories with prototype MP characters depicting the targeted problems to demonstrate how the taught problem-solving skills could be applied in a variety of situations. Brief exercise and homework will be assigned after each session and personalized written feedback will be provided.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Education Materials

The waitlist control receive education materials covering (1) introduction of mental health problems; (2) signs, symptoms, causes, and consequences of anxiety and depression, and (3) treatment approaches and available community resources.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* (1) being a frontline doctor or nurse working in local public settings;
* (2) at least 18 years of age;
* (3) able to read and understand Chinese;
* (4) have access to the Internet; and
* (5) Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and/or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) score\>=5, indicating at least mild levels of depression and/or anxiety.

Exclusion Criteria

* (1) currently taking psychotropic medication; and
* (2) actively suicidal.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Chinese University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dr. Xue YANG

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK

Hong Kong, China, Hong Kong

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Hong Kong

Central Contacts

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Xue Yang, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+852 2252 8740

Facility Contacts

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Xue Yang, PhD

Role: primary

+852 2252 8740

Other Identifiers

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1007627352

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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