Building Connections seeks to address health and healthcare inequities in socially vulnerable communities. The project will be conducted in collaboration with clinical practices across Massachusetts, serving a diverse population heavily represented in Community Clinics and Health Centers. The program will offer evidence-based interventions in obesity/weight management, cancer screening, and mental health.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
3,600
This is the comparison condition, in which participants will receive treatment as usual for their conditions at the clinic.
The combined Building Connections intervention incorporates three areas. Participants take part in those for which they are eligible. The obesity/weight management intervention offers coaching and support for education on evidence-based anti-obesity medications (AOM) and a lifestyle behavioral intervention offered by Community Health Workers focused on diet and physical activity. The cancer screening intervention focuses on developing workflows and systems to offer a CHW-delivered population-based intervention to improve colorectal and cervical cancer, focusing on newer screening modalities and monitoring adherence for individuals with a positive screening test result. The mental health intervention uses the evidence-based Strong Minds intervention, a 10-session psychoeducational program provided by trained community health workers with clinical supervision. The skills-based intervention uses an integrative approach aimed at improving depression, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms.
Disparities Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
RECRUITINGSelf-reported height/weight for Body Mass Index (BMI)
Calculation of Body Mass Index
Time frame: Baseline, month 6, and month 12
Rate of cancer screening test completion
Number of eligible people who complete a screening test out of total eligible
Time frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) of Mental Health (MH)
CAT-MH Depression/MDD and Anxiety
Time frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
Rapid Prime Diet Quality Score Screener (rPDQS)
The Rapid Prime Diet Quality Score Screener (rPDQS) is a 13-item measure about past month consumption of food, categorized by type (less than once per week to twice per day or more). A logic system assigns points to each item (0 'unhealthy dietary pattern' to 2 'healthy dietary pattern'). Total scores are calculated as the sum of all items (range 0 to 26), and higher scores represent healthier dietary patterns.
Time frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
Cancer screening test type
Screening test type used by people who completed a screening
Time frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0
The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 is a 12-item measure of difficulties performing activities in six domains of daily life (1 'None' to 5 'Extreme or cannot do'). Total scores are calculated as the sum of all items (range 12 to 60) and higher scores indicate higher disability.
Time frame: Baseline, month 6, month 12
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