Peer Navigators for the Health and Wellness of People With Psychiatric Disabilities

Status unconfirmed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Mental Disorder, Physical Illness

In brief

Adults with psychiatric disabilities get sick and die 20 to 30 years younger than same-age peers, with even greater disparities occurring when the person is from a low SES or of color. Factors explaining this difference are complex and include genetic comorbidity, iatrogenic effects of medication, life choices, and life consequences. These factors are worsened by service disparities which are often fragmented in the public health system. Peer navigators are part of a program in which providers escort people with psychiatric disabilities around the fragmented system to meet their health and wellness goals, often a demanding task for the person who has needs addressed at clinics, labs, and pharmacies spread across an urban area. Navigators are peers because they have lived experience of recovery and are often from similar ethnic groups. A community-based participatory research program supported by NIMHD and PCORI developed a peer navigator program specific to the needs of people with psychiatric disabilities. Results of two small pilots funded by NIMHD and PCORI showed the Peer Navigator Program (PNP) led to significant improved service engagement which corresponded with better health, recovery, and quality of life. The studies included fidelity measurement which showed peer navigators conducting the intervention at high levels of fidelity. The current research is an efficacy study with a more fully powered test of PNP versus treatment as usual, which is integrated care (TAU-IC). The investigators aim to recruit 300 adults with psychiatric disability who wish to improve physical health/wellness through peer health navigation randomized to TAU-IC or TAU-IC plus PNP. Individuals will participate in assigned interventions as part of 8-month cohorts with data being obtained at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 months. Data will include personal descriptors (demographics, diagnosis, life consequences report), outcomes (service engagement, physical symptoms, blood pressure, recovery, and quality of life), mediators (personal empowerment, self-determination, and perceived relationship for recovery), and process measures (fidelity, feasibility, and acceptability). Investigators hypothesize that those in PNP intervention will have improved outcomes over the integrated care as usual. A cost-benefit analysis will seek to model impact based on quality-adjusted life years. Larger effect sizes will permit post hoc identification of how PNP effects vary by participant characteristics such as ethnicity and gender.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05018351

Run by

Illinois Institute of Technology

People needed

354

Starts

2021-05-17

Expected to finish

2025-09-01

Last updated by the study team

2022-04-08

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age 18 or older
• Serious mental illness (as indicated by disability)
• A desire to improve their physical health/wellness and prevent disease through peer health navigation
• Willing to attend
• Active Thresholds member residing in the catchment area (Chicago South Side)

You may not qualify if…

• Currently receiving services from a peer support specialist to work on health-related goals
• Currently receiving Assertive Community Treatment services
• Not an active Thresholds member
• Does not reside in the catchment area (Chicago South Side)

Where it is running

• Thresholds — Chicago, Illinois, United States (enrolling)
• Illinois Institute of Technology — Chicago, Illinois, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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