NCT01408654

Brief Summary

This randomized trial compares peer companionship to care-as-usual in primary care on the outcome of risk for suicidal behavior in late life. The investigators hypothesize that older adults assigned to receive peer companionship will report greater social connectedness and less death and suicidal ideation compared to older adults assigned to care as usual.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
368

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_2

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2011

Typical duration for phase_2

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 1, 2011

Completed
2 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 3, 2011

Completed
29 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2011

Completed
4.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 1, 2016

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

March 1, 2016

Completed
Last Updated

April 22, 2016

Status Verified

April 1, 2016

Enrollment Period

4.5 years

First QC Date

August 1, 2011

Last Update Submit

April 20, 2016

Conditions

Keywords

Suicidal IdeationLonelinessSocial SupportVoluntary WorkersFriends/CompanionsPreventionAged

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Suicidal Ideation

    Severity of suicidal and death ideation assessed with the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale

    Baseline, 3,6,12,18,24 months

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Social Connectedness

    Baseline, 3,6,12,18,24 months

  • Connectedness

    Baseline, 3,6,12,18,24 months

  • Depression

    Baseline, 3,6,12,18,24 months

Study Arms (2)

Peer Companionship

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral intervention: Receipt of peer companionship provided by trained, supervised volunteer companions.

Behavioral: Peer Companionship

Care-as-Usual

NO INTERVENTION

Care-as-Usual in Primary Care

Interventions

Peer companionship is provided at least four times per month over two years in the form of friendly visiting, supportive phone calls, and some instrumental support.

Also known as: Intervention is administered to the peer companionship arm.
Peer Companionship

Eligibility Criteria

Age60 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Age 60 or older
  • Primary Care Patient
  • Endorses feeling lonely and/or like a burden in the the past two weeks

You may not qualify if:

  • Positive dementia screen
  • Current alcohol abuse
  • Psychosis
  • Suicidal ideation with intent to act (current or past month.)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Rochester, New York, 14642, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Van Orden KA, Stone DM, Rowe J, McIntosh WL, Podgorski C, Conwell Y. The Senior Connection: design and rationale of a randomized trial of peer companionship to reduce suicide risk in later life. Contemp Clin Trials. 2013 May;35(1):117-26. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2013.03.003. Epub 2013 Mar 16.

    PMID: 23506973BACKGROUND
  • Parkhurst KA, Daks JS, Conwell Y, Podgorski CA, Van Orden KA. Social network subtypes among socially disconnected older adults at risk for suicide: A latent class analysis. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2022 Oct;52(5):963-974. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12893. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Suicidal IdeationDepression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

SuicideSelf-Injurious BehaviorBehavioral SymptomsBehavior

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 2
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Co-Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Professor of Psychiatry

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 1, 2011

First Posted

August 3, 2011

Study Start

September 1, 2011

Primary Completion

March 1, 2016

Study Completion

March 1, 2016

Last Updated

April 22, 2016

Record last verified: 2016-04

Locations