Geri Pride: Feasibility Pilot of a Group Intervention for Older Veterans

NCT07831759 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: HSR2-005-24W1I01RD000615-01A2
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 4

Brief Summary

There are over one million Veterans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, (LGB) or a related identity. Older LGB Veterans face unique hurdles as they age, including stress, anxiety, heart disease, cancer, decreased ability to perform activities of daily living, delayed care, and increased likelihood of entering a nursing home. Sparse social networks and limited access to aging resources are common for LGB Veterans and contribute to adverse outcomes. The proposed study will partner with older Veterans to adapt and test a virtual structured group that promotes healthy aging, self-acceptance, and connection to health-related resources. This study aims to improve Veterans' health and well-being through increased resilience, positive healthcare engagement, and access to resources that support older Veterans' needs. There are currently no other VA programs designed to address the unmet needs of older LGB Veterans. By learning more about how to serve subgroups of Veterans more effectively, this study will also improve outcomes for all older Veterans and their care partners.

Conditions

Aging; Veterans; Social Determinants of Health; Health Disparate Minority and Vulnerable Populations

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Participant Retention in the Intervention (Feasibility Indicator)

  The primary indicator of intervention feasibility will be retention rate, operationalized as the % of enrolled participants who complete the intervention as tracked on attendance logs (observational data). Feasible retention in this multi-session psychosocial intervention is set at \>60% given anticipated intervention duration, prior trials with the parent intervention, and population comorbidities.

  Active intervention-delivery period

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder Score (GAD-7)

  Symptoms of anxiety will be assessed using a 7-item self-report measure used frequently in clinical care settings within VHA. It will be completed by Veterans before and after the group.

  Pre/Post Measures will be collected within approximately 1 month before the first session, and within 1 month of the last session. Time between pre and post measures will be approximately 4-6 months apart.

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

  Pre/Post Measures will be collected within approximately 1 month before the first session, and within 1 month of the last session. Time between pre and post measures will be approximately 4-6 months apart.

Study Arms (1)

Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Manualized, structured, health promotion group delivered over tele-health or in a hybrid format.

Behavioral: Geri Pride Health Promotion Group

Interventions

Geri Pride Health Promotion Group BEHAVIORAL

A structured, health promotion intervention adapted from the VA Pride in All Who Served program that covers a different topic each week related to healthy aging, internalized stress, what matters most/goals of care, social connections and care networks, VA and community resources, and other topics that promote well-being.

Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 50 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Meets Pride in All Who Served (PAWS) clinical care service delivery screening criteria (e.g., identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) or related identity, not experiencing acute symptoms that prevent meaningful participation in group-delivered care, able to access clinical care at a partnering site)
• Cognitively able to provide consent to participate in research
• years or older at the time of enrollment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Office of Research and Development: lead

Study Sites (4)

Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL

Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35404-5015, United States

Location

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

Charleston, South Carolina, 29401-5703, United States

Location

VA North Texas Health Care System Dallas VA Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Dallas, Texas, 75216-7167, United States

Location

VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84148-0001, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Michelle Marie Hilgeman, PhD

  Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Michelle M Hilgeman, PhD

CONTACT

(205) 554-2000; Michelle.Hilgeman@va.gov

Teddy K Bishop, BS

CONTACT

(205) 554-2000; Teddy.Bishop@va.gov

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Not applicable for this single group feasibility pilot study.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: This is a behavioral health intervention development and adaptation study that will adapt an existing VA intervention called Pride in All Who Served (PAWS) for older Veterans in Year 1. The resulting structured group intervention will then be tested beginning in Year 2 of the study for feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary indicators of impact on clinical and social outcomes.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 1, 2026
• First Posted: September 21, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2027
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 1, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2030
• Last Updated: September 21, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (4)