Clinical trial NCT03304535: Social Worker in an Eye-Care Service
Official title: The Impact of a Social Worker in a Glaucoma Eye-Care Service: A Prospective Study
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Glaucoma
Keywords: Glaucoma
Social Worker
Lead sponsor: Wills Eye
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2017-10-09
Enrollment: 40
Sex: ALL
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Patients with any type of Glaucoma

Brief summary: The purpose of this research study is to determine whether involvement with a social worker helps reduce distress, depression, and increase patient activation in participants over a 6 month intervention period. The study will also describe common barriers to care that participants face.

Detailed description: An appointment will be scheduled for participant to meet with a social worker. The appointment may happen on day of participant's scheduled clinic appointment or on another mutually decided upon date and time. Should participant choose to participate, this first visit will be Visit 1 for the study.

Visit 1: Baseline

Informed consent will be obtained demonstrating an interest in participating.

A visit with the social worker will take place during Visit 1. This session will be held in a private office and allows participant time for discussion regarding any challenges, struggles and/or barriers they may be experiencing.

The following baseline questionnaires/surveys will be administered:

Modified Patient Activation Measure - measures participant confidence in taking care of their own health.

Distress Thermometer - measures participant distress level during the past week.

Patient Health Questionnaire -measures depression symptoms and severity if any.

Clinical information will be taken from participant's medical record. There may be follow-up questions related to data if information is unclear or incomplete.

Upon completion of Visit 1, participant will receive a satisfaction survey to evaluate how participant satisfaction with social worker interaction.

Social Worker Interventions: After Visit 1 and before Visit 2

The social worker will develop an intervention for participant during Visit 1 appointment. As many calls or in person meetings participant requires will take place. There will be no limit and it will be determined by participant's needs.

Visit 2: Follow-up After 6 Months

Upon completion of participant's six month follow-up in the study, the following questionnaires/surveys will be administered:

Modified Patient Activation Measure - measures how confident participant is at taking care of their own health.

Distress Thermometer - measures how much distress participant has been experiencing in the past week.

Patient Health Questionnaire - measures if participant has symptoms of depression and the severity of those symptoms.

Satisfaction Survey - measures how satisfied participant is with the social worker interaction.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients seen at Wills Eye Hospital in the Glaucoma Service
* Glaucoma of any type, characterized by glaucomatous optic neuropathy and corresponding visual field (VF) defect
* Referred to staff social worker for intervention
* Ability to read, write, speak and understand English

Exclusion Criteria:

* None

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in response to Patient Health Questionnaire 9
timeFrame: 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change in response to Distress thermometer
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Change in response to Modified Patient Activation Measure 13
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Descriptive results of the Social Worker Baseline Assessment
timeFrame: 6 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Philadelphia
country: United States
facility: Wills Eye Hospital
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: Wills Eye Hospital
name: Scott J Fudemberg, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Fudemberg SJ, Amarasekera DC, Silverstein MH, Linder KM, Heffner P, Hark LA, Waisbourd M. Overcoming Barriers to Eye Care: Patient Response to a Medical Social Worker in a Glaucoma Service. J Community Health. 2016 Aug;41(4):845-9. doi: 10.1007/s10900-016-0162-1.