Clinical trial NCT02486692: Pilot Evaluation of AboutFace: Novel Peer Education Resource for Veterans
Official title: Pilot Evaluation of AboutFace: A Novel Peer Education Resource for Veterans
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: PTSD
Keywords: Mental Health
PTSD
Stigma
Peer Education
Web Education
Self Help
Lead sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Sponsor class: FED
First posted: 2015-07-01
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Brief summary: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the AboutFace peer education website for the purpose of reducing stigma and improving attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Veterans.

Detailed description: Research suggests that at least 1 in 10 Veterans will meet criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to their military experience. Treatment is widely available to Veterans with PTSD, and national dissemination initiatives have increased Veterans' access to best practice interventions. However, treatment seeking remains strikingly low among Veterans with PTSD. In fact, most Veterans with PTSD do not seek mental health services due to perceived stigma and other associated barriers. The National Center for PTSD recently developed and launched AboutFace, a peer education resource for Veterans. The investigators of this study believe that AboutFace has tremendous potential to reduce stigma and improve attitudes toward seeking mental health services among Veterans. However, it has not yet been evaluated. Investigators have partnered with the National Center for PTSD to launch this mixed methods pilot evaluation of AboutFace. There will be two phases to this study. During Phase I- Usability, 20 Veterans will be recruited to participate in individual interviews during which they will be asked to describe the ease of use of the AboutFace website for the researchers. During Phase II- Feasibility, 60 Veterans will be randomized to one of two conditions- About Face or Usual Care. All participants will complete several brief assessments measuring PTSD symptoms and attitudes toward seeking mental health services. Participants will then be randomized to either receive a link to the About Face website or to receive a link to a general online brochure about PTSD. After two weeks, participants will complete the assessment measures once again to determine any changes in attitudes toward seeking mental health services and potential changes in PTSD symptoms.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Must be 18 years of age
* Recommended for PTSD treatment following evaluation
* Internet access
* English Speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

* Minors under the age of 18
* Non-Veterans
* Negative for PTSD

Primary outcomes:
measure: Endorsed and Anticipated Stigma Inventory (EASI)
timeFrame: pre-treatment (baseline) & post-treatment (two-week) assessment
measure: PTSD Checklist (PCL-V)
timeFrame: pre-treatment (baseline) & post-treatment (2-week) assessment
measure: PTSD Treatment Initiators
timeFrame: two weeks post assessment
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Charleston
country: United States
facility: Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC
state: South Carolina
Study officials:
affiliation: Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC
name: Kenneth J Ruggiero, PhD MA BA
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Kreuze E, Jenkins C, Gregoski M, York J, Mueller M, Lamis DA, Ruggiero KJ. Technology-enhanced suicide prevention interventions: A systematic review. J Telemed Telecare. 2017 Jul;23(6):605-617. doi: 10.1177/1357633X16657928. Epub 2016 Jul 3.
citation: Hamblen JL, Grubaugh AL, Davidson TM, Borkman AL, Bunnell BE, Ruggiero KJ. An Online Peer Educational Campaign to Reduce Stigma and Improve Help Seeking in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Telemed J E Health. 2019 Jan;25(1):41-47. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2017.0305. Epub 2018 May 10.
citation: Bunnell BE, Davidson TM, Hamblen JL, Cook DL, Grubaugh AL, Lozano BE, Tuerk PW, Ruggiero KJ. Protocol for the evaluation of a digital storytelling approach to address stigma and improve readiness to seek services among veterans. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2017 Feb 17;3:7. doi: 10.1186/s40814-017-0121-3. eCollection 2017.