Meru Health Ascend Mobile Intervention for Depression in Middle Aged and Older Adults

Depression Clinical Trial

Official title:

Evaluation of Meru Health Ascend Mobile Intervention for Depression in Middle Aged and Older Adults

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03652948
• Other study ID #: GOU0003
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2/Phase 3
• Start date: July 12, 2018
• Est. completion date: January 15, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: March 2021
• Source: Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Using technology to deliver depression interventions is one way could alleviate the public health burden of depression. The study is testing a mobile app intervention program for depression that uses cognitive behavioral skills and mindfulness. This study seeks to obtain feedback on the intervention and refine the intervention and then test the intervention in a larger study. The mobile app intervention called the Meru Health Ascend program consists of the app and therapist support via messaging within the app.

Description:

The Meru Health Ascend program is a guided self-management program that uses a mobile application to deliver content of the intervention. A licensed therapist (Meru Health employed) provides support to participants as needed and reviews practice logs within the app.The 8-week program teaches cognitive behavioral techniques and mindfulness skills with the aim of improving the user's mental health. The platform provides informational videos, skills practices, group discussion, and messaging with the therapist. The Meru Health program enrolls participants in treatment groups that work through the program at the same time and can provide support to on another on the discussion board within the app. We are conducting two studies in middle aged and older adults with elevated depressive symptoms to evaluate the Meru Health Ascend program. In the first study (study 1), we will examine the feasibility of the intervention in individuals aged 40 years or older with elevated depression symptoms using an iterative case series. Specifically, we will examine the usability of app and materials, dropout and reasons for dropout, and user perceptions of the program. We will then conduct a proof-of-concept study (study 2) using a nonrandomized pre-post design to examine whether individuals achieve clinically significant reductions in depressive symptoms.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 70
• Est. completion date: January 15, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: January 15, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 40 Years to 120 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Owns a smart phone, resides in California, PHQ-9 score greater than or equal to 10, stable dose of medication (if taking psychotropic), able to read and understand English.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Psychotic disorder, possible cognitive impairment, evidence of problematic drinking behavior, active suicide ideation with a plan, active psychological treatment, bipolar disorder (study 2 only)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Symptoms

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Meru Health Ascend Program
Cognitive-behavioral skills, mindfulness

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	VA Palo Alto Health Care System	Palo Alto	California

Sponsors (3)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Palo Alto Veterans Institute for Research	Meru Health, Inc., Stanford University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	change in depressive symptoms	The Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) is a measure that assesses 9 depressive symptoms with scores ranging from 0 to 27. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptomatology.	Change from baseline to 8 weeks/posttreatment for study 1; change from baseline to 12 weeks for study 2
Secondary	change in anxiety symptoms	The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) is a seven item measure of anxiety symptoms with scores ranging from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety symptomatology.	Change from baseline to 8 weeks/posttreatment for study 1; change from baseline to 12 weeks for study 2