Preventing Mid- and Later-Life Work Limitations

Tufts Medical Center431 enrolled

Overview

The Work and Health Initiative (WHI) trial is testing an innovative, community-based program that provides mental health and vocational services to workers 50 years or older to improve functioning and reduce productivity loss. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that relative to usual care, the WHI improves the work outcomes of depression and reduces depression-related productivity loss.

National demographic, economic and cultural trends are creating a need for hiring and retaining older workers. However, while many older people will prefer and/or need to work, chronic health problems occurring in mid-life or later can severely disrupt employment. This study will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the Work and Health Initiative (WHI). The WHI is an innovative community-based program that provides mental health and vocational services to workers with depression to improve functioning and reduce productivity loss. This study will focus on workers 50 years of age and older. This study will test the hypothesis that relative to usual care, the WHI improves the work outcomes of depression. Study results potentially will result in a new multi-disciplinary method for addressing a serious public health and employment issue.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

431

Conditions

Depression

Interventions

Work and Health InitiativeBEHAVIORAL

Telephone-based multi-modal intervention, consisting of: vocational coaching, cognitive-behavioral therapy strategies and care coordination strategies provided by specially-trained EAP counselors

Usual Medical or Behavioral InterventionBEHAVIORAL

Referral to treatment as usual through personal physician, mental health professional, behavioral health program, and/or Employee Assistance Program

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 45 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * age ≥ 45 years * working ≥ 15 hours/week * DSM-IV current major depression and/or dysthymia * Work limitations: at-work productivity loss score ≥ 5% Exclusion Criteria: * severe physical health deficits * non-English speaking or reading * positive current alcoholism screening * psychosis * mania

Locations (1)

Tufts Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

At-work performance deficits and productivity loss as measured by the Work Limitations Questionnaire

Time frame: 4 months post-randomization

Absenteeism and productivity loss as measured by the Work Limitations Questionnaire Absence Module

Time frame: 4 months post-randomization

Secondary Outcomes

Depression symptom severity as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

Time frame: 4 months post-randomization

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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