Enhancing Wellness Through Affirming Services and Education
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Comprehensive outpatient behavioral health care.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: HIV, Mental Health Disorder, Substance Use. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
The goal of this treatment study is to learn about the mental health, substance use and physical health outcomes associated with participating in the EASE holistic behavioral health and wellness program for individuals seeking HIV prevention and/or living with HIV. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Do important health outcomes, including substance use, mental health and social support related outcomes of individuals who participated in the holistic behavioral health and wellness program change after study participation? 2. Does a tailored approach to meet the specific needs of different subpopulations including 1) older (40+) PLWH with or at risk for additional health comorbidities and 2) PLWH and/or young adults (18-40) seeking HIV prevention to improve health outcomes including improvement in health and health behaviors . Participants will be asked to: * participate in 6 months of behavioral health treatment tailored to their needs, which may include individual counseling, group counseling, case management, peer support, and related education. * Complete surveys at the time of study entry and 6 months later to measure changes in health outcomes over time.
Detailed description
Enhancing Wellness through Affirming Services and Education (EASE) is a comprehensive behavioral health program aimed at improving health outcomes for individuals living with HIV and individuals seeking HIV prevention services in Charlotte NC. Over the course of the proposed five-year program, 200 clients will receive an array of services to address substance use and mental health as well as underlying conditions including trauma, minority stress, comorbidities, stigma, and life instability (i.e. unstable housing, lack of access to medical care, employment barriers, and isolation).
EASE is a collaboration led by the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research with county and community partners including Mecklenburg County Community Support Services, RAIN, and individual therapists. Service offered will include evidence-based individual and group therapy, case management, peer programming, psychoeducation, and comorbidity management education. Building on previously successful programming, EASE will serve two client populations with tailored programs to meet their distinct needs. One track will serve an older population (over 40) with current drug use and living with or at higher risk of HIV to address substance use along with mental health and medical co-morbidities. A focus on overall wellness addressing stress management, nutrition, and chronic illness management will dovetail with substance use and mental health treatment to engage clients in whole body/mind wellness. The second track will serve individuals seeking prevention services, primarily adults under 40 to meet their specific mental and physical health needs addressing substance use, mental health, intersectional stress, gender-affirming health care, life skills development and sexual health . This track aims to address the behavioral health of this population by supporting overall wellbeing. Programmatic outcomes will be assessed through two secure online surveys completed by participants at baseline and six months after baseline.
Interventions
- Behavioral Comprehensive outpatient behavioral health care
Participation will include clinical assessment and outpatient behavioral health services, case management, individual and group counseling, peer support, case management, and education regarding behavioral health and medical care
Primary outcome measures
- Change in depression symptoms measured by the PHQ-9 [Time frame: Baseline to 6 month follow-up survey]
- Change in anxiety symptoms measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (Anxiety subsection) [Time frame: Baseline to 6 month follow-up survey]
- Change in alcohol use as measured by alcohol use frequency questions [Time frame: Baseline to 6 month follow-up survey]
- Change in illicit substance use as measured by illicit substance use frequency questions [Time frame: Baseline to 6 month follow-up survey]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- Change in HIV-related stigma as measured by the HIV stigma scale [Time frame: Baseline to 6 month follow-up survey]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- HIV diagnosis or seeking HIV prevention services
- Any alcohol or illicit substance use in the last 90 days
- 18 or older
- Residing in Mecklenburg County or surrounding areas.
Exclusion criteria
1\) Inability to consent for services due to reduced mental or physical capacity
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Susan Reif — Charlotte
Identifiers
NCT: NCT05700474 · Pro00111885