Screening for Poverty And Related Social Determinants to Improve Knowledge of and Links to Resources (SPARK)

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The SPARK RCT will test the impact of engagement with a Community Health Worker who is embedded in interprofessional primary care teams on change in estimated annual income at 6 months for people living in poverty.

Detailed Description
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Population: Patients seen by interprofessional primary care teams who are living on estimated annual incomes that are below the Canadian Low-Income Cut-Off (LICO) Intervention: A Community Health Worker who implements an intervention that addresses a number of social needs, including improving income security, access to prescription medications, access to housing, reducing social isolation, paying for utilities and access to transportation Control: Information on community resources on social needs Outcome: Change in estimated annual income between baseline and at 6 months

Official Title
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Screening for Poverty And Related Social Determinants and Intervening to Improve Knowledge of and Links to Resources (SPARK): a Randomized Controlled Study

Conditions
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Poverty

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Community Health Worker


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18+ years old AND live in a household with an income below the Low-Income Cut-OFF AND agree to receive assistance with social needs Exclusion Criteria: Has worked with a similar CHW or intervention in the past 1 year.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: parallel, two-arm 1:1 individual participant allocation randomized controlled trial
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Integrated care promoter<br>Patients who are randomized to the intervention group will be connected with a trained Community Health Worker (CHW). The CHW is a peer with lived-experience of system navigation that could have a background in social work, health promotion or community work. All CHWs will receive 2 weeks of training to assist participants with social needs. | Behavioral: Community Health Worker<br>* Trained Community Health Worker<br>|
| Active Comparator: Information on community resources<br>Patients randomized to the control group will receive a list of tailored written information. | Behavioral: Community Health Worker<br>* Trained Community Health Worker<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| change in estimated annual income | The primary outcome will be change in estimated annual income, assessed at baseline and at 6 months. | 6 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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poverty, income, social determinants of health