Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among military Veterans and is more than just a psychological condition; PTSD has profound negative impacts on health, function, and quality of life. Older Veterans are the largest patient population served by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and many have lived with PTSD for 40+ years. Veterans with PTSD engage in low levels of physical activity and spend much of their time in sedentary activities, adding to their risk of physical disability. The benefits of exercise on mental health and physical well-being in older adults are well-substantiated, but the effects of exercise training on late-life PTSD symptoms is a new area of study. This study is designed to examine the effects of 6 months of supervised exercise training on PTSD symptoms and PTSD-related conditions (e.g., functional impairment, sleep) in 188 older Veterans with PTSD.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
80
A multi-component group exercise intervention that emphasizes functional training. Duration is 6 months, and frequency is 3x per week.
Participants in the HA-ATC group will receive a health education program modeled on the "10 Keys to Healthy Aging" curriculum and the National Council on Aging's "Aging Mastery Program." HA-ATC will include an 8-week face-to-face group program followed by bi-weekly sessions for the remaining 4 months.
Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC
Durham, North Carolina, United States
Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-V (CAPS-5) Change Baseline to 6 Months
PTSD symptoms over the previous month will be assessed with the CAPS-5 clinical interview. Total symptom severity score and symptom cluster severity scores will be calculated. Scores range from 0 to 80, with higher scores reflecting more severe PTSD symptoms.
Time frame: 6 months
Six-minute Walk Test Change From Baseline to 6 Months
Performance-based measure of aerobic endurance. Participants are instructed to walk along a measured course for 6 minutes. The distance walked in 6 minutes is the outcome of this assessment. There is no maximum value for this test, but the minimum value could be 0 (unable to walk any distance).
Time frame: 6 months
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) Change From Baseline to 6 Months
Self-report tool for assessing the severity of depression. Scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame: 6 months
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Change From Baseline to 6 Months
The PSQI is a self-report tool for assessing sleep quality and disturbance. Scores on the PSQI range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality.
Time frame: 6 months
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