Self-management EdUcation and SuPport to Promote PsychOsocial Health Among StRoke Survivors and Informal Caregivers in a VirTual Stroke Community (SUPPORT)

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston22 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to create a virtual stroke community for stroke survivors and informal caregivers of stroke survivors by customizing an existing VE intervention to incorporate real-time, stroke-specific, psychosocial self management education (SME) and social interactions, to test feasibility, acceptability, and usability of the customized intervention for stroke survivors and informal caregivers of stroke survivors and to obtain and explore data to derive evidence-based hypotheses and properly design and conduct a future, larger trial to demonstrate treatment efficacy.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Stroke

Interventions

Learning in a Virtual Environment (LIVE)

Phase 1 of the study will be a one-time meeting, either remote or in-person to complete V.E. training and fill out questionnaires. Phase 2 of the study is the 8 week intervention implementation.Participants will access the V.E. community from their homes on a computer with broadband internet. During the first four weeks of the intervention, participants will be required to come into the V.E. at least once per week for at least one hour. For the last four weeks, V.E. participation is strongly encouraged, but not required. The content in the V.E. will focus on psychosocial health and stroke recovery, and the messaging in the VE will be updated bi-weekly to encourage retention and engagement. Group meetings led by the study PI, a psychologist, or another trained member of the research team at least once a week will be offered. During the intervention period, VE-specific data will be collected continuously. Phase 3, will include a survey and a focus group interview via online platform.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Stroke survivors that have experienced an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke event and their caregivers * can read, write, and speak English * are able to provide written consent * are computer literate (have used a computer for ≥1 month) * have access to a computer with broadband internet at home * understand how to use the Internet (accessed the Internet on ≥2 occasions) Exclusion Criteria: * reside outside of the home * Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of \<9 indicating moderate to severe impairment * Caregivers that provide long-distance care. I

Locations (1)

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Houston, Texas, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Feasibility as assessed by the number of participants enrolled in the study

This will be defined as the number enrolled divided by the number of eligible individuals screened

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline of last participant )

Feasibility as assessed by the number of participants who complete the study

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline of last participant )

Feasibility as assessed by the number of participants who complete the data collection forms

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline of last participant )

Usability as assessed by the perceived usefulness score

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

Usability as assessed by the perceived ease of use scores

This has 10 items, each scored form 1(strongly disagree) to 5(strongly agree), higher score meaning higher perceived ease of use

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

Usability as assessed by the number of times the participants log in

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

Usability as assessed by the time spent in the environment in minutes

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

Acceptability as assessed by the number of VE Meetings attended

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks from baseline)

Acceptability as assessed by the number of VE objects manipulated

Objects manipulated are the resources interacted with

Time frame: post intervention (8 weeks form baseline)

Secondary Outcomes

Change in perceived social support as assessed by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)

This is a 12 item scale , each question is scored from 1(very strongly disagree) to 7(very strongly agree) for a maximum score of score of 84, a higher number indicating more social support