CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT01887392GOALUpdated Jul 1, 2025

Gaining Optimal Osteoporosis Assessments in Long-Term Care (GOAL)

An interventional study of Knowledge Translation Education Sessions in Osteoporosis, sponsored by McMaster University. Completed at 1 site in Canada. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-07-01.

Sponsored by McMaster University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
6,800
Allocation
Randomized
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The aim of this study is to disseminate the 2010 Osteoporosis Canada clinical practice guidelines, using a multi-faceted Knowledge Translation (KT) model, as KT aims to close the gap between knowledge generated from research and practice. The investigators' primary objective is to evaluate if this intervention can increase the percent of long-term care (LTC) residents receiving appropriate treatment for osteoporosis (i.e. treatment is considered appropriate for an individual over age 50 who has had a diagnosis of osteoporosis or a fragility fracture of the hip or vertebrae and those who have had more than one fragility fracture and is therefore considered high-risk). A secondary objective is to examine whether the intervention increases the percent of all LTC residents receiving Vitamin D equivalent to ≥800 IU/day.

Read the detailed description

Individuals who live in LTC are at high risk for osteoporosis and fractures, particularly hip fractures, which lead to pain and transfer to acute care. The investigators' previous work in LTC has shown that awareness and use of clinical practice guidelines in LTC are low. To successfully transfer knowledge, it is imperative to understand the needs of the LTC teams and to tailor KT interventions appropriately.

Interventions which focus on strategies to overcome barriers and on new ways to deliver and promote the uptake of best practices that are specific to both the learning needs of LTC health care providers and the operational/organizational culture in LTC are greatly needed. Interdisciplinary teams who participated in the Vitamin D and Osteoporosis Study (ViDOS) indicated several process barriers that may hinder the proper identification and treatment of fractures in LTC. There is a need to educate Ontario LTC practitioners on the osteoporosis guidelines. The investigators' aim is to facilitate the uptake of Osteoporosis Canada 2010 Clinical Practice Guidelines, across Ontario LTC homes using the ViDOS multi-faceted KT model. Furthermore, the investigators will have a greater emphasis on the implementation of guidelines which includes risk assessment and appropriate medication use.

02

Conditions studied

  • Osteoporosis

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Keywords

  • Long-term Care
  • Knowledge Translation
03

In context

Osteoporosis

1,640 studies on the registry are indexed under Osteoporosis; 212 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 6,800 is above the median of 95 across 1,133 interventional studies indexed under Osteoporosis.

Browse Osteoporosis studies →

Lead sponsor

McMaster University is the lead sponsor of 720 studies on the registry; 124 are open to participants now.

Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 2 (33%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • A minimum of 2 physicians for each LTC home served by a Pharmacy provider

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • LTC homes that have only one prescribing physician
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Health services research
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
6,800 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Wave A

    LTC Homes randomized into Wave A will receive the intervention first. The intervention includes Knowledge Translation Education Sessions.

    Other: Knowledge Translation Education Sessions

  • Experimental
    Wave B

    LTC Homes randomized into Wave B will receive the intervention after Wave A. The intervention includes Knowledge Translation Education Sessions.

    Other: Knowledge Translation Education Sessions

Interventions

  • OtherKnowledge Translation Education Sessions

    Two interactive sessions will be delivered to the interprofessional team at Month 1 and Month 6 and are 1 hour in length. The Clinical Consultant Pharmacist at each LTC home will lead the Knowledge Translation Sessions. Participants will watch an educational video, developed by the co-investigators with expertise in osteoporosis and geriatrics and members of the Ontario College of Family Physicians. Accompanying materials that support the topics in the video will be provided. Following the educational video, one of the experts from the video will phone the LTC home to address questions and provide the home with direct access to an expert.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference in the percentage of residents appropriately prescribed an osteoporosis medication before and after the intervention.

    Difference in the percentage of residents appropriately prescribed an osteoporosis medication before and after the intervention will be measured. Medications to be included in the baseline and post data download are in accordance with the current Osteoporosis Canada guidelines. Treatment is considered appropriate for an individual over age 50 who has had a diagnosis of osteoporosis or a fragility fracture of the hip or vertebra and those who have had more than one fragility fracture (i.e. high risk).

    Time frame: 18 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Difference in the percentage of residents prescribed Vitamin D (equivalent to ≥800 IU/day) before and after the intervention.

    Vitamin D will be included in the baseline and post data download to compare the two results and see if more residents have been prescribed vitamin D.

    Time frame: 18 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • St. Peter's Hospital
    Hamilton, Ontario L8M 1W9, Canada
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 1, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01887392
Lead sponsor
McMaster University
Responsible party
Alexandra Papaioannou (Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 26, 2013
Start date
Jun 2013
Primary completion
Sep 2016
Completion
Sep 2016
Last update
Jul 1, 2025

Study contacts

Alexandra Papaioannou, MD, MSc
principal investigator · McMaster University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Dec 2016. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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