Reducing Health Risk Behavior and Improving Health in Adolescents With Depression
Condition: Depression; Adolescent Health
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2

Summary: 
      This study will determine the effectiveness of a health education intervention in reducing
      health risk behavior and improving health in adolescents with depression.
    

Detailed description: 
      Depression is a common disorder among adolescents. If left untreated, it can cause
      significant disability, illness, and even death. Teens with depression often engage in risky
      health behaviors, such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, unprotected sex, and unhealthy
      eating and exercise patterns. By reducing these health risk behaviors, depressed adolescents
      may be able to avoid negative health consequences and improve their physical and mental
      health. This study will determine the effectiveness of a health education intervention in
      reducing risky health behaviors in adolescents with depression.

      Participants in this study will be invited to enroll during a visit to a participating
      primary care clinic. Participants will be randomly assigned to either partake in a health
      education intervention or receive standard care. Both groups will continue to receive
      treatment through their primary care clinic. Those participants receiving standard care will
      be referred to special programs as needed to reduce their involvement in risky health
      behaviors. Participants assigned to the health education intervention will attend 10 weekly
      education sessions that will be led by trained health educators. Parents or guardians may be
      asked to attend sessions depending on their interest in the intervention and the age of the
      youth participant. Topics covered will include teenage smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, risky
      sexual behaviors, and obesity. Cognitive-behavioral strategies, role playing, and media clips
      will be used to stimulate discussion and involvement in the intervention. The intervention
      will be tailored to target the specific risky behaviors in which each participant engages.
      Motivational interviewing will also be used to build positive attitudes to support behavior
      change. All participants will attend follow-up visits to assess behavior change at Months 6
      and 12 following study entry.
    

Intervention name(s): Treatment as usual; Behavioral health intervention
Intervention type(s): Other; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Those participants receiving standard care will be referred to special programs as needed to reduce their involvement in risky health behaviors.; Participants assigned to the health education intervention will attend 10 weekly education sessions that will be led by trained health educators. Parents or guardians may be asked to attend sessions depending on their interest in the intervention and the age of the youth participant. Topics covered will include teenage smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, risky sexual behaviors, and obesity. Cognitive-behavioral strategies, role playing, and media clips will be used to stimulate discussion and involvement in the intervention.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Tobacco Use; Alcohol and Drug Use; Obesity; Risky Sexual Behavior