Effectiveness of a Telephone Intervention to Improve the Mental Health of Abused Women

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to determine if a telephone social support and empowerment intervention is more effective than usual community services in improving the mental health of community-dwelling women abused by their intimate partners.

Detailed Description
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Depression is one of the most common mental health sequelae of intimate partner violence (IPV). Although a range of interventions have been tried to improve the mental health of women survivors of IPV, the results are inconclusive. In this trial, a 12-week advocacy intervention consisting of empowerment and telephone social support is provided to abused Chinese women in a community setting. Usual community services provide the control condition.

Official Title
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A RCT to Test the Effectiveness of a Telephone Intervention to Improve the Mental Health of Community Dwelling Women Abused by Their Intimate Partners

Conditions
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Battered Women

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: advocacy intervention
* Behavioral: usual community services


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Chinese women 18 years of age or older Self-report of psychological, physical or sexual abuse by their current or former intimate partner in the previous 12 months Live or work in a community within the catchment area of a community centre designated for the proposed study Exclusion Criteria: Perpetrator is not an intimate partner

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: advocacy intervention<br>A 12-week telephone social support and empowerment intervention consisting of empowerment training, scheduled weekly telephone calls, and 24-hour access to a hotline for abused women | Behavioral: advocacy intervention<br>* A 12-week telephone social support and empowerment intervention consisting of empowerment training, scheduled weekly telephone calls, and 24-hour access to a hotline for abused women<br>|
| Active Comparator: Usual community services<br>Standard care for abused women in the community | Behavioral: usual community services<br>* standard care for abused women in the community<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| depression |  | On completion of intervention and six months post-intervention | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| perceived social support |  | On completion of intervention and six months post-intervention | 
| health-related quality of life |  | On completion of intervention and six months post-intervention | 
| intimate partner violence |  | On completion of intervention and six months post-intervention | 
| safety behaviors |  | On completion of intervention and six months post-intervention | 
| utilization of health services |  | On completion of intervention and six months post-intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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depression, spouse abuse, intervention studies