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Rural Intervention for Caregivers' Heart Health (RICHH)
Investigator (PI): Moser, Debra Kay; Chung, Misook Lee
Performing Organization (PO): (Current): University of Kentucky, College of Nursing / (859) 323-6533
Supporting Agency (SA): National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Initial Year: 2016
Final Year: 2021
Record Source/Award ID: RePorter/R01NR016824
Funding: 2016 Award Amount: $526,318
2017 Award Amount: $525,274
2018 Award Amount: $525,075
Award Type: Grant
Award Information: Reports resulting from this project
Abstract: In the patient-family caregiver dyad, emphasis traditionally has been on the patient or on helping the caregiver take care of the patient. This approach ignores the health of the caregiver. Family caregivers of patients with chronic disease are at uniquely high risk for development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Because of the environment they share with the patient, lack of time for personal care due to caregiving demands, and persistent psychological distress, caregivers of patients with chronic illness have substantially higher risk for CVD than non-caregivers. To reduce this risk, cardiovascular health interventions aimed at (1) CVD risk reduction, (2) improving adherence to self-management of CVD risk reducing behaviors, and (3) preventing and managing depressive symptoms are required. Rural caregivers are particularly at risk for poor health. Most rural areas are characterized by marked health disparities, including elevated CVD risk, persistent poverty, and lack of social and health care resources. As such, innovative intervention programs are needed to improve cardiovascular health among rural caregivers while overcoming personal and environmental barriers to achieving this goal. The Rural Intervention for Caregivers' Heart Health (RICHH) program proposed in this study will address the important components of CVD risk reduction for rural caregivers of patients with chronic illness--most notably improved self-management of CVD risk reduction efforts, including prevention and management of depressive symptoms. We propose an innovative delivery modality designed to overcome environmental barriers in socioeconomically austere rural areas. The purpose of the proposed 2-group (RICHH vs. control) randomized clinical trial is to examine short- and long-term effects of the RICHH intervention on CVD risk (i.e., lipid profile, body mass index, and blood pressure), self-care behaviors (i.e., diet quality, physical activity level, self-reported adherence to health behaviors), and depressive symptoms, compared to usual care control in rural caregivers of persons with chronic disease. A total of 280 caregivers of patients with chronic illness will be enrolled. Rural caregivers will be randomly assigned to either the RICHH intervention group or a usual care control group. We will stratify caregivers by gender in order to examine the moderating effect of gender on intervention outcomes, given the many differences between male and female caregivers. The RICHH intervention (6 interactive modules) will be delivered for 12 weekly sessions (30 to 45 minutes per session). In order to enhance maintenance of behaviors, we will also deliver 8 biweekly (every other week) booster sessions (20-30 minutes per session) for 2 months and then 6 monthly sessions. All sessions are delivered individually using a video-conferencing program on a multimedia digital device (i.e., mini iPad). Data on outcomes will be collected at baseline, 4 months, and 12 months.
MeSH Terms:
  • Blood Pressure
  • Body Mass Index
  • Cardiovascular Diseases /*prevention & control
  • * Caregivers
  • Chronic Disease
  • Depression /complications
  • /therapy
  • Environment
  • Female
  • Health Promotion /methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Patient Compliance
  • Poverty
  • Risk
  • Risk-Taking
  • Rural Health Services /*organization & administration
  • Rural Population
  • Self Care
  • Sex Factors
  • Stress, Psychological
  • Videoconferencing
Keywords:
  • adherence
  • behavior
  • blood pressure
  • body mass index
  • cardiac health
  • cardiovascular diseases
  • cardiovascular disorder risk
  • cardiovascular health
  • caregivers
  • caregiving
  • chronic disease
  • chronically ill
  • depressive symptoms
  • diet
  • digital
  • economically deprived population
  • family caregiver
  • family member
  • female
  • gender
  • health behavior
  • high risk
  • intervention
  • intervention effect
  • intervention program
  • lipids
  • long-term effects
  • male
  • mental depression
  • outcome
  • patient self-report
  • patients
  • physical activity
  • poverty
  • prevention
  • psychological distress
  • randomized
  • randomized clinical trials
  • randomized controlled trials
  • risk
  • risk factors
  • risk reduction
  • rural
  • rural America
  • rural area
  • rural environment
  • rural health
  • rural setting
  • self-care
  • self-management
  • tablets
  • technology
  • treatment as usual
  • videoconferencing
Country: United States
State: Kentucky
Zip Code: 40536
UI: 20183382
CTgovId: NCT03068390
Project Status: Ongoing