Behavioral Activation + Occupational Therapy

Americans with multiple chronic health conditions (MCC) are living longer lives, but there is a costly tradeoff. Approximately 81% of older adults in the U.S. have 2 or more health conditions (e.g., arthritis, hypertension, diabetes) that are long-term and cumulative. For these older adults, there are direct and positive relationships among age, higher number of chronic conditions, and higher incidence of disability and functional limitations. Because functional limitations interfere with daily health self-management activities (e.g., physical activity, managing medications, preparing healthy meals, and accessing health care), MCC ranks high among the disabling and costly conditions of aging. For example, older adults with MCC perform fewer health self-management activities and attend nearly double the number of outpatient healthcare visits as their peers with fewer or no MCC. Besides the high cost, difficulties with health self-management accelerate the downward spiral of restricted daily activity and accumulating chronic conditions which, in turn, increases rates of institutionalization and death by 5-fold.

Among the emergent health problems of the 21st century, MCC stand out as one of the most challenging to treat, not only for the individual, but the larger health system as well. Pharmacological interventions for MCC (i.e., gero-protectors: targeting multiple diseases of aging with one drug) have focused on deterring the cascading disease development in this population but do not address limitations in daily health self-management deficits, a primary instigator of the downward spiral. Thus far, non-pharmacological interventions have primarily focused on health care organization, exercise, and self-management education, with null or mixed results. Studies have shown that simply providing self-management education is insufficient to facilitate health behavior changes in older age, and especially in the presence of functional limitations. Often overlooked is the importance of integrating the complicated health self-management activities into daily life routines. Indeed, research suggests that older adults are more likely to change behavior with interventions that assist with planning health-promoting daily activities. This is particularly true when older adults are also contending with functional limitations. Currently, there are no tested interventions designed to improve independence in health self-management activities in older adults with MCC and functional limitations.

Behavioral activation (BA), an evidence-based behavior change intervention, can improve performance in daily activity, including health self-management behaviors. Combined with occupational therapy (OT), BA shows promise to improve participation in daily activities in cancer survivors, older adults with mild cognitive impairment, and individuals with post-stroke functional limitations. This innovative combination focuses on the goal setting, scheduling/monitoring activities, and problem-solving components of the BA approach as well as the environmental modification, activity adaptation, and focus on daily routines from OT practice (BA-OT). Due to the complexity of managing MCC in conjunction with functional limitations, BA-OT is the ideal approach. Paramount to our approach is the execution of daily health self-management activities in participant homes to ensure optimal real-world application. The Principal Investigator (PI), a BA-trained and licensed occupational therapist will deliver BA-OT over 10 weeks (1 session/wk). This is a pilot randomized controlled trial and feasibility study (Stage I) in which 40 older adults with MCC and functional imitations will be assigned to BA-OT or enhanced usual care comparison group.

Specific Aim 1: Collect preliminary data to test the effect of BA-OT for improving independence in health self-management activities for older adults with MCC and functional limitation compared to enhanced usual care. Hypothesis: Older adults who receive BA-OT will demonstrate improved independence in health self-management activity as measured by the self-report Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and the Self-Management Assessment Scale. Rationale: Though similar interventions have shown promise in populations with different disease courses, BA-OT has not been tested in older adults with MCC and functional limitations.

Specific Aim 2: Examine the feasibility of recruitment and conduct of the BA-OT intervention with older adults with MCC and functional limitation. Quantitative measures include recruitment rates, proportions of participants who initiate and complete the intervention, and adherence to study procedures as well as in-depth qualitative information to understand acceptability and suitability of the intervention. Rationale: Similar interventions have been successful, but not with older adults with MCC and functional limitations, a group that is difficult to treat. The investigators will answer the critical question "can it work?" and seek evidence to inform adaptation to a larger study.

Combining these two approaches to address the persistent problem of health self-management in this population is novel and promising. This specific combination of active ingredients has potential to prevent functional limitations, prevent costly hospitalizations, and reduce disability in older adults with MCC. This project will inform the modification and testing of BA-OT with a larger sample, as well as generating preliminary data for a federally funded career development award.