Highlights
- •What is the primary question addressed by this study?We describe the methods and challenges encountered during the implementation of a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a peer support depression care intervention for low-income White and older adults of color during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- •What is the main finding of this study?Challenges to participant recruitment have included barriers related to stigma, distrust as well as unfamiliarity with research. Peer support enjoys strong policy support in Maryland that facilitated recruitment and retention was addressed by providing supervision and support to Peer Mentors in their role.
- •What is the meaning of the finding?This study will provide knowledge regarding the effectiveness, mechanism and processes of delivering an informal psychosocial intervention such as peer support to older adults.
Abstract
Objective
Low-income White and older adults of color face barriers to depression care. Our purpose
is to describe the methods and challenges encountered during the implementation of
a randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a peer support depression
care intervention for low-income White and older adults of color during the COVID-19
pandemic.
Methods
Peer Enhanced Depression Care (Peers) is an 8-week community-based intervention that
uses peer mentors who are trained and supervised to provide social support and self-care
skills to depressed older adults. The effectiveness of the intervention in reducing
depression will be evaluated by following a sample of older adults recruited in the
community over a 12-month period. Target enrollment is 160 older adults. We hypothesize
that participants randomized to the Peer Enhanced Depression Care intervention will
experience greater decrease in depressive symptoms compared to participants randomized
to the social interaction control. We provide lessons learned regarding the recruitment
of BIPOC and White low-income older adults and peer mentors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results
Recruitment challenges occurred in primary care clinics that were unable to accommodate
recruitment efforts during the pandemic. This led to focused outreach to community-based
organizations serving older adults. Challenges to participant recruitment have included
barriers related to stigma, distrust, as well as unfamiliarity with research. Peer
mentor recruitment was facilitated by existing government-supported resources.
Conclusions
This study will provide knowledge regarding the effectiveness, mechanism, and processes
of delivering an informal psychosocial intervention such as peer support to a vulnerable
older adult population.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 02, 2023
Accepted:
January 30,
2023
Received in revised form:
January 29,
2023
Received:
December 2,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
