Community-Based Outreach and Treatment for Underserved Older Adults With Clinically Significant Worry: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2018 Nov;26(11):1147-1162. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2018.07.011. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether Calmer Life (CL) improved worry, generalized anxiety disorder-related (GAD-related) symptoms, anxiety, depression, sleep, trauma-related symptoms, functional status, and quality of life better than Enhanced Community Care with Resource Counseling (ECC-RC) at 6 months and 9 months.

Methods: A randomized, controlled, comparative-effectiveness study involving underserved, low-income, mostly minority neighborhoods in Houston, Texas, looked at individuals ≥50 with significant worry and interest in psychosocial treatment. Interventions were CL, cognitive behavioral therapy with resource counseling, facilitation of communication with primary care providers about worry/anxiety, integration of religion/spirituality, person-centered skill content and delivery and nontraditional community providers, ECC-RC, and enhanced standard community-based information/ resource counseling addressing basic unmet and mental health needs. Primary outcomes were worry and GAD-related symptom severity. Secondary outcomes were anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, trauma-related symptoms, functional status, quality of life, service use and satisfaction.

Results: Similar, moderate improvements followed CL and ECC-RC on worry, GAD-related symptoms, anxiety, depression, sleep, trauma-related symptoms, and mental health quality of life at 6 and 9 months, but with symptoms at both times and higher satisfaction with CL at both. Fewer ECC-RC participants reported a hospital admission in the prior 3 months than those in CL at 6 and 9 months; at 9 months, fewer reported a visit with a provider in the previous 3 months.

Conclusion: Both interventions showed similar improvements at 6 and 9 months, but symptoms remained that might require care. Either intervention or a combination may be useful for low-income older adults with identified worry/anxiety.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02391363.

Keywords: African Americans; Cognitive behavior therapy; minority; older adults; randomized controlled trial.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anxiety / complications
  • Anxiety / therapy*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*
  • Community-Institutional Relations*
  • Counseling / methods*
  • Depression / complications
  • Depression / therapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medically Underserved Area*
  • Middle Aged
  • Poverty / psychology
  • Quality of Life
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / therapy
  • Treatment Outcome

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02391363