Official Title
Community Health Workers Against COVID19 Tackling Psychosocial Suffering Due to Physical Distancing
Brief Summary

Randomized controlled trial among patients from family practices at risk of psychosocial suffering due to social distancing measures. Patients from the intervention group receive support from community health workers. contacted at least 8 times by community health workers. Evolution of psychosocial wellbeing is evaluated by questionnaires at time 0 and after 6 weeks of intervention. Psychosocial outcomes are compared between control and intervention groups. Process evaluation will be done through in-depth interviews.

Detailed Description

Patients vulnerable for psychosocial suffering due to social distancing measures are
recruited by family practitioners in the City of Ghent. The recruited patients are randomly
selected into a control and intervention group. Based on the validated Promis instruments,
all participants are interviewed face to face on their mental and social health at time 0 and
after 6 weeks of intervention. Patients from the intervention group are contacted by
Community health workers after the first interview. Community health workers offer emotional
support to the patients through at least 8 contacts over 6 weeks. The control group receive
care as usual and are offered support by community health workers after the second interview.
In depth interviews (qualitative study) will be conducted among community health workers and
patients after finalizing the post-intervention questionnaires.

Research questions: What are the psychosocial consequences of social distancing for at-risk
groups? Can community health workers reduce the psychosocial impact of physical distancing
measures isolation?

Relevance: Understanding community-based psychosocial support for vulnerable people during
and after health crises.

Keywords: Community health workers, psychosocial, health crises

Completed
COVID 19
Social Isolation
Mental Health Impairment

Other: community health worker support

usual care by professional primary care providers + emotional support by trained community health worker

Other: care as usual

care as usual is provided by professional primary care provider

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

- patients recruited by family practitioners based on anticipated psychosocial impact of
physical distancing measures

Exclusion Criteria:

- Patients with severe psychiatric diseases (psychosis, severe depression)

Eligibility Gender
All
Eligibility Age
Minimum: 18 Years ~ Maximum: N/A
Countries
Belgium
Locations

Department of Public Health and Primary Care
Ghent, Belgium

University Ghent
NCT Number
Keywords
Community health workers
randomized controlled trial
psychosocial impairment
MeSH Terms
COVID-19