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Can we Predict Chronic Homelessness?

This study is not yet open for participant recruitment.
Verified January 2013 by Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Sponsor:
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01775683
First received: September 25, 2012
Last updated: January 22, 2013
Last verified: January 2013
History of Changes
  Purpose

Homeless men and women suffer more illness and sooner death compared to housed people. Among the homeless, there is a group that suffers more illness than others. This group is usually homeless for several months, makes up a smaller proportion of homeless people and uses more resources from emergency shelters than other homeless people. Some have asked if a difference in thinking skills explains how people who are homeless for a long time need more help in getting and keeping housing compared to other homeless persons.

In this study, thinking skills that help a person plan and make decisions will be screened among those who have been homeless for a long time and those who were homeless for a short time. If there is a difference, then screening may change how future homeless people get the help they need.


Condition
Cognitive Impairment

Study Type: Observational
Study Design: Observational Model: Case Control
Time Perspective: Retrospective
Official Title: A Case-control Study to Determine Whether a Screening Measure of Executive Dysfunction, the Quick EXIT, is Predictive of Chronic Homelessness

Further study details as provided by Ottawa Hospital Research Institute:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • The Quick EXIT score [ Time Frame: Within 2 weeks of recruitment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Secondary Outcome Measures:
  • The Colour Trails test score [ Time Frame: Within 2 weeks of recruitment ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Estimated Enrollment: 60
Study Start Date: January 2013
Estimated Study Completion Date: September 2013
Estimated Primary Completion Date: September 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Groups/Cohorts
Group A - chronically homeless
Men and women, greater than or equal to age 18 years, English-speaking, who are currently homeless and/or housed in an emergency shelter or housing facility for chronically homeless individuals ≥ 6 months.
Group B - control/formerly homeless
Men and women, greater than or equal to 18 years, English-speaking who are not homeless ≥4 times in the last 3 years and currently living in stable housing ≥ 6 months and in the last 3 years, has been homeless ≤ 1 month

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Sampling Method:   Non-Probability Sample
Study Population

Homeless men and women, greater or equal to 18 years, English-speaking, in Ottawa, ON, Canada

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men and women, greater than or equal to 18 years old, English speaking
  • Group A: currently homeless and/or housed in an emergency shelter or housing facility for chronically homeless individuals ≥ 6 months
  • Group B: not homeless ≥4 times in the last 3 years and currently living in stable housing ≥ 6 months and in the last 3 years, has been homeless ≤ 1 month

Exclusion Criteria:

At the time of testing, individuals with the following characteristics will be excluded:

  1. Altered mental status (determined by Nurse Coordinator through participant response to questions regarding orientation to person, place and season - score of at least 2/3 is considered intact mental status).
  2. Present intoxication (determined by Nurse Coordinator through participant evaluation of odour, either alcohol or non-beverage alcohol).
  3. Currently violent or aggressive towards testers (determined by Nurse Coordinator)
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01775683

Locations
Canada, Ontario
The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre Not yet recruiting
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1H 8M5
Contact: Claire Vayalumkal, BASc, MD     613-737-7350 ext 0     cvayalumkal@toh.on.ca    
Principal Investigator: Claire Vayalumkal, BASc, MD            
Sponsors and Collaborators
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Claire Vayalumkal, BASc, MD The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre
  More Information

No publications provided

Responsible Party: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01775683     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 20120651-01H
Study First Received: September 25, 2012
Last Updated: January 22, 2013
Health Authority: Canada: Ethics Review Committee

Keywords provided by Ottawa Hospital Research Institute:
homelessness

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Cognition Disorders
Delirium, Dementia, Amnestic, Cognitive Disorders
Mental Disorders

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 22, 2013