CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT04986969COMBAT-DSUpdated Nov 15, 2024

Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depressive Symptoms in Rural Patients with Cardiac Disease

An interventional study of Online cognitive behavioral therapy in Depressive Symptoms and Heart Diseases, sponsored by Debra Moser. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 21 Years to 110 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-11-15.

Sponsored by Debra Moser · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
444
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
21 Years to 110 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Individuals with heart disease and depressive symptoms suffer from higher death rates, higher rates of acute cardiac events (such as heart attacks), and faster progression of heart disease compared to those with heart disease who do not have depressive symptoms, and these problems are much worse in rural people. Unfortunately, rural people with heart disease and depressive symptoms do not receive needed therapy for depressive symptoms because of lack of mental health providers in rural areas, worries about stigma, and difficulty accessing mental health care because of multiple barriers to traveling to get care. To overcome these barriers, the investigators will compare the impact of two types of online cognitive behavioral therapy (video-conferenced face-to-face versus self-administered internet-based) and usual care on depressive symptoms to provide patients and healthcare providers with needed information about which is more effective and to increase the number of patients adequately treated.

Read the detailed description

Rural areas are noted for marked disparities in mortality, cardiovascular health, and access to health care. Prevalence rates for both coronary heart disease (CHD) and depressive symptoms in rural areas are higher than in urban areas. These facts are important because CHD patients experience high rates of depressive symptoms, which are associated with increased risk of getting and dying from CHD. Unfortunately, rural people with CHD and depressive symptoms do not receive needed therapy for depressive symptoms because of lack of mental health providers in rural areas, worries about stigma leading to treatment avoidance, and difficulty accessing mental health care because of barriers to travel to get care. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), reduces depressive symptoms in CHD patients, but in its traditional form (in-person meetings of patient and therapist), CBT is resource-intensive and inaccessible to most rural patients. Wireless internet technology has the potential to make CBT more user-friendly, and accessible to rural patients. There has been a proliferation of alternative, internet-based, remote-delivery CBT interventions recently. The permutations of remote-delivery CBT fall under two categories - real-time, face-to-face, video-conferenced CBT (vcCBT) and self-administered internet-based CBT (iCBT). It is unclear which category of these delivery modalities is more effective. Determining which treatment option is more effective for treating depressive symptoms in rural patients with CHD and depressive symptoms will identify an easily accessible treatment option for rural patients. Using a randomized, controlled, stratified (by sex) design, the investigators will compare vcCBT, iCBT and usual care in rural CHD patients on the primary outcome of depressive symptoms over time. In addition, the investigators will determine whether intervention adherence, satisfaction or acceptability moderate treatment effects. The investigators will also assess whether sex or stigma moderate intervention effects to determine whether effectiveness of treatment option varies by sex or stigma level. Data about outcomes will be collected at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months and provide important information about the trajectory of outcomes. Results from this study will provide new knowledge about which approach to treating depressive symptoms in rural CHD patients is more effective to improve decision-making in patients and healthcare providers, and increase the number of patients properly treated.

02

Conditions studied

  • Depressive Symptoms
  • Heart Diseases

Keywords

  • rural
  • cardiac diseases
  • depressive symptoms
  • cognitive behavioral therapy
03

In context

Heart Diseases

3,639 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Diseases; 461 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 444 is above the median of 100 across 1,778 interventional studies indexed under Heart Diseases.

Browse Heart Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

Debra Moser is the lead sponsor of 4 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
21 Years to 110 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • at least moderate depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10)
  • rural dwelling
  • has had physician-documented acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • cognitive impairment
  • major psychiatric comorbidities, which might require additional treatment
  • presence of non-CHD conditions likely to be fatal within next year.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Investigator)
Enrollment
444 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    real-time, face-to-face, video-conferenced CBT (vcCBT)

    vcCBT is cognitive behavioral therapy that consists of eight face-to-face video-conferencing sessions via tablet computers lasting approximately 45 minutes each.

    Behavioral: Online cognitive behavioral therapy

  • Active comparator
    self-administered internet-based CBT (iCBT)

    iCBT is self-directed cognitive behavioral therapy using an interactive internet program, MoodGYM, which does not include direct interactions with a therapist.

    Behavioral: Online cognitive behavioral therapy

Interventions

  • BehavioralOnline cognitive behavioral therapy

    online cognitive behavioral therapy delivered using one of two active methods

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in depressive symptoms as a result of intervention effects

    Change in levels of depressive symptoms measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, across time and between subjects. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 is a measure that consists of nine items that correspond to criteria for diagnosing depression. Higher scores indicate greater severity of symptoms. Scores on measure can range from 0-27 with an accepted cut-off of ≥ 10 for moderate symptoms. Reliability and validity of the instrument have been established in a variety of populations, including cardiac patients.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months

  2. Change in intervention effects on depressive symptoms moderated by perceived stigma

    The investigators will determine whether perceived stigma moderates intervention effects on depressive symptoms across time. Stigma refers to negative beliefs about a condition and its treatment. Depression-related stigma will be measured using the Depression Stigma Scale. Developed to measure personal stigma related to being treated for depressive symptoms, the measure has been used extensively since its inception. Scores on the 18-item total scale can range from 0-36, and higher scores indicate greater perceptions of stigma. The instrument has well-established reliability and validity, and has been used in rural Kentuckians.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months

  3. Change in intervention effects on depressive symptoms moderated by sex

    The investigators will determine whether sex moderates intervention effects on depressive symptoms across time. Sex will be self-described by the patient.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in intervention effects on depressive symptoms moderated by health literacy

    Determine whether health literacy measured using the Newest Vital Sign moderates intervention effects on change in depressive symptoms. Health literacy is defined as the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. The investigator will assess health literacy using the Newest Vital Sign. This instrument is sensitive, reliable and valid for the assessment of health literacy, and is well-accepted by individuals being screened even when they have low educational level.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months

  2. Compare all-cause hospitalization rates between intervention groups

    Measurement of hospitalization rates using the electronic health record and patient interview

    Time frame: 3 months

  3. Compare all-cause hospitalization rates between intervention groups

    Measurement of hospitalization rates using the electronic health record and patient interview

    Time frame: 6 months

  4. Compare all-cause hospitalization rates between intervention groups

    Measurement of hospitalization rates using the electronic health record and patient interview

    Time frame: 12 months

  5. Compare physical activity levels between groups

    Measurement of physical activity levels using actigraphy. Actigraphy is an objective method of obtaining accurate and reproducible activity levels, and advances in the technology have produced an instrument that reliably and validly represents physical activity levels. The investigators use the GT9X-BT Link Bluetooth Activity Monitor (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL). The Actigraph is an omni-directional accelerometer, which assesses acceleration in multiple directions as opposed to uniaxial accelerometer, which is sensitive to movement only in the vertical axis. The actigraph has a dynamic range of ± 8 g. The Actigraph allows researchers to estimate energy expenditure by quantifying the amount time spent in light \[\<3 metabolic equivalents (METs)\], moderate (3-5.99 METs), and vigorous (≥6 METs) physical activity.

    Time frame: 3 months

  6. Compare physical activity levels between groups

    Measurement of physical activity levels using actigraphy. Actigraphy is an objective method of obtaining accurate and reproducible activity levels, and advances in the technology have produced an instrument that reliably and validly represents physical activity levels. The investigators use the GT9X-BT Link Bluetooth Activity Monitor (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL). The Actigraph is an omni-directional accelerometer, which assesses acceleration in multiple directions as opposed to uniaxial accelerometer, which is sensitive to movement only in the vertical axis. The actigraph has a dynamic range of ± 8 g. The Actigraph allows researchers to estimate energy expenditure by quantifying the amount time spent in light \[\<3 metabolic equivalents (METs)\], moderate (3-5.99 METs), and vigorous (≥6 METs) physical activity.

    Time frame: 6 months

  7. Compare physical activity levels between groups

    Measurement of physical activity levels using actigraphy. Actigraphy is an objective method of obtaining accurate and reproducible activity levels, and advances in the technology have produced an instrument that reliably and validly represents physical activity levels. The investigators use the GT9X-BT Link Bluetooth Activity Monitor (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL). The Actigraph is an omni-directional accelerometer, which assesses acceleration in multiple directions as opposed to uniaxial accelerometer, which is sensitive to movement only in the vertical axis. The actigraph has a dynamic range of ± 8 g. The Actigraph allows researchers to estimate energy expenditure by quantifying the amount time spent in light \[\<3 metabolic equivalents (METs)\], moderate (3-5.99 METs), and vigorous (≥6 METs) physical activity.

    Time frame: 12 months

  8. Compare medication adherence between groups

    Measurement of medication adherence will be done using the Medication Event Monitoring System. Medication adherence will be measured with the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS; AARDEX, Union City, CA), a reliable, accurate and objective method. The MEMS is considered the gold standard in medication adherence measurement. The MEMS offers the advantage of objective measurement and has been successfully used in multiple clinical trials by our group.

    Time frame: 3 months

  9. Compare medication adherence between groups

    Measurement of medication adherence will be done using the Medication Event Monitoring System. Medication adherence will be measured with the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS; AARDEX, Union City, CA), a reliable, accurate and objective method. The MEMS is considered the gold standard in medication adherence measurement. The MEMS offers the advantage of objective measurement and has been successfully used in multiple clinical trials by our group.

    Time frame: 6 months

  10. Compare medication adherence between groups

    Measurement of medication adherence will be done using the Medication Event Monitoring System. Medication adherence will be measured with the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS; AARDEX, Union City, CA), a reliable, accurate and objective method. The MEMS is considered the gold standard in medication adherence measurement. The MEMS offers the advantage of objective measurement and has been successfully used in multiple clinical trials by our group.

    Time frame: 12 months

  11. Compare the effect of intervention effects on within-meal, across meal, and within-food group diet variety

    Measured using interviews for dietary recall

    Time frame: Baseline

  12. Compare the effect of intervention effects on within-meal, across meal, and within-food group diet variety

    Measured using interviews for dietary recall

    Time frame: 3 months

  13. Compare the effect of intervention effects on within-meal, across meal, and within-food group diet variety

    Measured using interviews for dietary recall

    Time frame: 6 months

  14. Compare the effect of intervention effects on within-meal, across meal, and within-food group diet variety

    Measured using interviews for dietary recall

    Time frame: 12 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • University of Kentucky
    Lexington, Kentucky 40536, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Tully PJ, Ang SY, Lee EJ, Bendig E, Bauereiss N, Bengel J, Baumeister H. Psychological and pharmacological interventions for depression in patients with coronary artery disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Dec 15;12(12):CD008012. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008012.pub4. PubMed 34910821 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — We will use the PCORI-prescribed methods for data-sharing. Deidentified data including the major primary outcome data will be made available.

Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap, Icf

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 15, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04986969
Lead sponsor
Debra Moser
Collaborators
University of California, Los Angeles, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Responsible party
Debra Moser (Professor and Linda C Gill Endowed Chair of Nursing, University of Kentucky) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Aug 3, 2021
Start date
Apr 15, 2021
Primary completion
Aug 1, 2024
Completion
Aug 1, 2024
Last update
Nov 15, 2024

Study contacts

Debra K Moser, PhD, RN
principal investigator · University of Kentucky

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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