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Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment (CaPRA) for Refugee Health and Settlement

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
University of Toronto
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01427829
First received: August 22, 2011
Last updated: September 1, 2011
Last verified: August 2011
History of Changes
  Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine preliminary effect of Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment tool (CaPRA) among Afghan refugees visiting medical professionals (family physicians or nurse practitioners) at a Community Health Center. The investigators examined the tool's acceptability among patients and its impact on patient satisfaction and patient intention to visit a psychosocial counselor as a proxy of potential to integrate medical and social care.


Condition Intervention
Computer
Screening
Decision Support System
Primary Care
Psychosocial
Refugees
 Behavioral: Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment (CaPRA)

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Official Title: Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment (CaPRA) for Refugee Health and Settlement - Evaluation Phase

Further study details as provided by University of Toronto:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Patient intention to visit a psychosocial counselor [ Time Frame: July to October post-visit ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Patients completed a paper-pencil Exit Survey in the intervention (CaPRA) and control (usual care) groups


Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • Patient satisfaction [ Time Frame: July to October post-visit ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Patients completed a paper-pencil Exit Survey in the intervention (CaPRA) and control (usual care) groups

  • Patient acceptability [ Time Frame: July to October post-visit ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
    Patients completed a paper-pencil Exit Survey in the intervention group (CaPRA)


Enrollment: 50
Study Start Date: July 2010
Study Completion Date: October 2010
Primary Completion Date: October 2010 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Intervention (CaPRA) Behavioral: Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment (CaPRA)
The study intervention was a touch-screen self-assessment survey which eligible patients completed on a touch-screen iPad in Dari/Farsi language while waiting to see their medical practitioner. The Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment (CaPRA) survey had questions on psychosocial risks (e.g., alcohol, tobacco and street drug use, sexual health, personal violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and food insecurity), cardiovascular risks (e.g., physical activity, weight, diabetes, and hypertension), road and home safety, stress buffers (e.g., coping and social support) and sociodemographics. The tool generated two tailored print-outs at the point of care. The recommendation sheet for patients summarized their disclosed risks in simple Dari/Farsi language along with contacts of relevant services. The risk-report for medical practitioner summarized patients' risks with possible referrals. This was attached to the medical chart prior to the consult.
No Intervention: Control (usual care) Behavioral: Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment (CaPRA)
The study intervention was a touch-screen self-assessment survey which eligible patients completed on a touch-screen iPad in Dari/Farsi language while waiting to see their medical practitioner. The Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment (CaPRA) survey had questions on psychosocial risks (e.g., alcohol, tobacco and street drug use, sexual health, personal violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and food insecurity), cardiovascular risks (e.g., physical activity, weight, diabetes, and hypertension), road and home safety, stress buffers (e.g., coping and social support) and sociodemographics. The tool generated two tailored print-outs at the point of care. The recommendation sheet for patients summarized their disclosed risks in simple Dari/Farsi language along with contacts of relevant services. The risk-report for medical practitioner summarized patients' risks with possible referrals. This was attached to the medical chart prior to the consult.

Detailed Description:

The recent waves of refugees to Canada belong to regions of prolonged conflict and, thus arrive in compromised state of mental, physical, and social health. This complexity asks for provision of integrated medical and social care to newly arrived refugees. With this aim, a university-community initiative developed a Computer-assisted Psychosocial Risk Assessment tool (CaPRA) in Dari/Farsi for Afghan refugees. This innovative eHealth approach is first of its kind for Canadian refugees accessing primary care. In this model of care, patients complete an interactive multi-risk iPad computer survey in their own language before seeing the provider. The computer then generates individualized recommendation sheet for patients and a risk-report for providers at the point of care. The tool was developed through a collaborative process by working with Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services and advisory board with community representatives.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Afghan refugee patients
  • Over 18 years of age
  • Speak and read Dari /Farsi or English language
  • Eligible for federal or provincial health care program
  • Visiting a participating medical practitioner

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient visiting a provider who has not consented for the study
  • Patient accompanied by a family member for interpretation
  • New patients
  • Patients unable to receive study details due to logistical issue (e.g, no private room)
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01427829

Sponsors and Collaborators
University of Toronto
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Farah Ahmad, MBBS, MPH, PhD University of Toronto / York University
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: University of Toronto
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01427829     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: FA-25340
Study First Received: August 22, 2011
Last Updated: September 1, 2011
Health Authority: Canada: Health Canada

Keywords provided by University of Toronto:
pilot
randomized controlled trial
RCT
computer
 screening
community heath center
psychosocial
immigrant

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 22, 2013