PeerOnCall: Implementing and Evaluating App-Based Peer Support in Canadian Fire Services

NCT07199387 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 204097
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 2,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to test how best to implement a mobile peer support app called PeerOnCall in Canadian fire services. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. 1.Do firefighters use the app more with a structured implementation compared to standard implementation?
2. 2.Does using the app improve mental health and workplace outcomes? Researchers will compare a standard implementation approach with basic onboarding to more structured implementation with weekly reminders, new content, and feedback reports to see if these features encourage more consistent app use.
3. 3.Use the PeerOnCall app to access private peer support and wellness resources.
4. 4.Participate in surveys, interviews, and focus groups about their app experience and workplace environment.

Conditions

Firefighters

Keywords

Peer Support; Mobile Health Applications; Mental Health; Firefighters; Occupational Health; Workplace Wellbeing; Implementation Science

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change from Baseline Score on the Mental Health Continuum at 1 year

  Impact on mental health (primary) outcome - A 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) will be used to measure mental health status as a continuous variable, aligning with the mental health continuum commonly used in the public safety community. The scale uses color coding from 0 (green/well) to 10 (red/crisis) with strong concurrent validity (r = .60 to .74) compared to other anxiety measures. Pilot research indicated that firefighters are resistant to lengthy psychological questionnaires, so this brief, intuitive, and widely accepted single-item scale was selected to optimize response rates. App users will receive monthly in-app notifications prompting them to complete the scale. Since the scale is integrated into the app, data can be directly linked to app utilization.

  From Baseline to the end of implementation at 1-year

• App Engagement (App Opens)

  App opens will be tracked as a binary variable, measuring whether an employee opens the app at least once during the 12-month study period. This initial adoption measure will be monitored using unique ID numbers to track the total number of app opens per user. A list of eligible employees will be established at the start of the intervention and monitored over time to assess engagement across the organization.

  From enrolment to the end of implementation at 1-year

• App Engagement (Peer Support Outreach)

  Peer support outreach will be measured by the number of text or phone interactions initiated with a peer support provider. Software analytics will track individual use patterns, including whether users reach out once or multiple times to peer support. Higher outreach frequency reflects greater engagement with the app.

  From enrolment to the end of implementation at 1-year

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change from Baseline Score on the WLQ-F at 1 year

  From Baseline to the end of implementation at 1-year

• Mental Health Absenteeism

  From enrolment to the end of implementation at 1-year

Study Arms (2)

App Users (Structured Implementation)

EXPERIMENTAL

All participating organizations will receive access to PeerOnCall, a mobile mental health and peer support platform co-designed by and for Canadian public safety providers (PSP) that includes: a) an app for frontline workers, b) an app for peer support providers, and c) an administrative portal for organizational leaders. The structured implementation (intervention) group will follow a structured protocol designed to promote weekly app engagement.

Other: App Users (Structured Implementation)

App Users (Standard Implementation)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

All participating organizations will receive access to PeerOnCall, a mobile mental health and peer support platform co-designed by and for Canadian public safety providers (PSP) that includes: a) an app for frontline workers, b) an app for peer support providers, and c) an administrative portal for organizational leaders. The standard implementation (control) group will receive baseline support, allowing firefighters to use the app as they choose.

Other: App Users (Standard Implementation)

Interventions

App Users (Structured Implementation) OTHER

The structured implementation (intervention) group will follow a structured protocol designed to promote weekly app engagement. This includes regular updates to customized content, reminders to use the app, and feedback on use. Weekly content updates and push notifications will be provided through the app, and the research team will communicate monthly with organizational champions with feedback reports on app utilization to reinforce engagement.

App Users (Structured Implementation)

App Users (Standard Implementation) OTHER

The standard implementation (control) group will receive baseline support, allowing firefighters to use the app as they choose. The research team will provide an initial orientation for organizations and peer supporters, but the organizational champion will be responsible for communication and follow-up. The research team will respond to questions and prompt data collection.

App Users (Standard Implementation)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Must be a working aged adult (18-70)
• Must be employed in a participating Canadian Fire Service organization
• Agree to download the PeerOnCall app to their mobile phone (iPhone or Android)

You may not qualify if:

• \- Not able to access app on their smart device

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McMaster University: lead

Study Sites (1)

20 Fire Service Organizations across Canada

Hamilton, Canada

Location

Related Publications (15)

• Moll SE, Patten S, Stuart H, MacDermid JC, Kirsh B. Beyond Silence: A Randomized, Parallel-Group Trial Exploring the Impact of Workplace Mental Health Literacy Training with Healthcare Employees. Can J Psychiatry. 2018 Dec;63(12):826-833. doi: 10.1177/0706743718766051. Epub 2018 Apr 19.

  PMID: 29673271 BACKGROUND

• Lesage FX, Berjot S, Deschamps F. Clinical stress assessment using a visual analogue scale. Occup Med (Lond). 2012 Dec;62(8):600-5. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqs140. Epub 2012 Sep 10.

  PMID: 22965867 BACKGROUND

• Dutheil F, Palgen C, Brousse G, Cornet T, Mermillod M, Lakbar I, Vallet G, Baker JS, Schmidt J, Charbotel B, Pereira B, Delamarre L. Validation of visual analog scales of mood and anxiety at the workplace. PLoS One. 2024 Dec 31;19(12):e0316159. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316159. eCollection 2024.

  PMID: 39739967 BACKGROUND

• Moll SE, Ricciardelli R, Carleton RN, MacDermid JC, Czarnuch S, MacPhee RS. PeerOnCall: Evaluating Implementation of App-Based Peer Support in Canadian Public Safety Organizations. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Aug 13;22(8):1269. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22081269.

  PMID: 40869854 BACKGROUND

• Raggi A, Bernard RM, Toppo C, Sabariego C, Salvador Carulla L, Lukersmith S, Hakkaart-van Roijen L, Merecz-Kot D, Olaya B, Antunes Lima R, Gutierrez-Marin D, Vorstenbosch E, Curatoli C, Cacciatore M. The EMPOWER Occupational e-Mental Health Intervention Implementation Checklist to Foster e-Mental Health Interventions in the Workplace: Development Study. J Med Internet Res. 2024 Mar 15;26:e48504. doi: 10.2196/48504.

  PMID: 38488846 BACKGROUND

• Goraya NK, Alvarez E, Young M, Moll S. PeerOnCall: Exploring how organizational culture shapes implementation of a peer support app for public safety personnel. Compr Psychiatry. 2024 Nov;135:152524. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2024.152524. Epub 2024 Aug 12.

  PMID: 39146608 BACKGROUND

• Damschroder LJ, Reardon CM, Widerquist MAO, Lowery J. The updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research based on user feedback. Implement Sci. 2022 Oct 29;17(1):75. doi: 10.1186/s13012-022-01245-0.

  PMID: 36309746 BACKGROUND

• Howarth A, Quesada J, Silva J, Judycki S, Mills PR. The impact of digital health interventions on health-related outcomes in the workplace: A systematic review. Digit Health. 2018 May 10;4:2055207618770861. doi: 10.1177/2055207618770861. eCollection 2018 Jan-Dec.

  PMID: 29942631 BACKGROUND

• Voth M, Chisholm S, Sollid H, Jones C, Smith-MacDonald L, Bremault-Phillips S. Correction: Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Quality of Resilience-Building Mobile Health Apps for Military, Veteran, and Public Safety Personnel Populations: Scoping Literature Review and App Evaluation. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2023 Aug 28;11:e51609. doi: 10.2196/51609.

  PMID: 37639713 BACKGROUND

• Curran GM, Bauer M, Mittman B, Pyne JM, Stetler C. Effectiveness-implementation hybrid designs: combining elements of clinical effectiveness and implementation research to enhance public health impact. Med Care. 2012 Mar;50(3):217-26. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0b013e3182408812.

  PMID: 22310560 BACKGROUND

• Johnson, C. C., Vega, L., Kohalmi, A. L., Roth, J. C., Howell, B. R., & Van Hasselt, V. B. (2020). Enhancing mental health treatment for the firefighter population: Understanding fire culture, treatment barriers, practice implications, and research directions. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 51(3), 304-311. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000266

  BACKGROUND

• Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (Nov 2024). The State of Fire and Emergency services in Canada: Results of the great Canadian Fire census 2024. Ottawa: CAFC

  BACKGROUND

• Carleton, R. N., Afifi, T. O., Turner, S., Taillieu, T., LeBouthillier, D. M., Duranceau, S., Sareen, J., Ricciardelli, R., MacPhee, R. S., Groll, D., Hozempa, K., Brunet, A., Weekes, J. R., Griffiths, C. T., Abrams, K. J., Jones, N. A., Beshai, S., Cramm, H. A., Dobson, K. S., . . . Asmundson, G. J. G. (2018). Suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts among public safety personnel in Canada.Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, 59(3), 220-231. https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000136

  BACKGROUND

• MacDermid JC, Lomotan M, Hu MA. Canadian Career Firefighters' Mental Health Impacts and Priorities. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 1;18(23):12666. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312666.

  PMID: 34886394 BACKGROUND

• Carleton RN, Afifi TO, Turner S, Taillieu T, Duranceau S, LeBouthillier DM, Sareen J, Ricciardelli R, MacPhee RS, Groll D, Hozempa K, Brunet A, Weekes JR, Griffiths CT, Abrams KJ, Jones NA, Beshai S, Cramm HA, Dobson KS, Hatcher S, Keane TM, Stewart SH, Asmundson GJG. Mental Disorder Symptoms among Public Safety Personnel in Canada. Can J Psychiatry. 2018 Jan;63(1):54-64. doi: 10.1177/0706743717723825. Epub 2017 Aug 28.

  PMID: 28845686 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• PeerOnCall Research Website

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Co-Principal Investigator

CONTACT

9054672155; molls@mcmaster.ca

Co-Principal Investigator

CONTACT

289-237-3470; jmacderm@uwo.ca

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 22, 2025
• First Posted: September 30, 2025
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2027
• Last Updated: October 3, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)