Peer Navigator Program for Disabilities

(OP-ENS - CL Trial)

Overseen By Susan Magasi, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Susan Magasi

Disqualifiers: Cognitive, sensory, physical limitations

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 13

Duration: 12 months

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a remote peer navigator program called Our Peers - Empowerment and Navigational Support - Community Living (OP-ENS - CL) to assist individuals with new physical disabilities in adjusting to community living after rehab. The study aims to determine if this program enhances social support, self-confidence, health, and involvement in community activities compared to usual care. Participants will be paired with peers who guide them in setting goals and finding solutions to challenges. Individuals with a physical disability from conditions like spinal cord injury, stroke, or Parkinson's, who have recently started living in the community, might be suitable candidates. Participants need access to a smartphone or computer with the internet. This unphased trial offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative support solutions and potentially improve the community living experience.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on a peer navigator program rather than medication changes.

What prior data suggests that the OP-ENS - CL intervention is safe for people with newly acquired physical disabilities?

Research shows that the OP-ENS - CL program, which connects individuals with new physical disabilities to a peer guide, is generally well-received. Past studies reported no serious side effects. This program includes regular meetings with a peer to assist with healthcare access and community living. It emphasizes identifying personal strengths and challenges, setting goals, and planning actions. Meetings are held online, offering convenience and flexibility. Overall, this approach appears safe, with no major negative effects reported in similar research. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Peer Navigator Program for Disabilities because it offers a personalized, empowerment-focused approach that is different from traditional care methods. Unlike standard treatments that may involve routine healthcare services, this program pairs individuals with peer navigators to help them identify barriers, set personal goals, and create action plans for accessing better healthcare. This unique, ongoing support system is tailored to the fluctuating needs of participants, providing consistent guidance and a transition plan to help them eventually manage their own healthcare navigation. This innovative model emphasizes community living and empowerment, aiming to enhance the quality of healthcare access for people with disabilities.

What evidence suggests that the OP-ENS - CL intervention is effective for improving social support and health in people with newly acquired physical disabilities?

Studies have shown that peer navigator programs can assist people with physical disabilities by providing guidance and support. In this trial, participants in the OP-ENS - CL intervention arm will pair with a peer mentor to help overcome challenges and set personal goals. Research on similar programs indicates that a peer mentor can enhance feelings of social support and self-confidence. Regular meetings often lead participants to report better health and more active community involvement. These positive outcomes make the OP-ENS - CL intervention promising for those adjusting to life with a new physical disability. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Susan Magasi, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Illinois Chicago

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults who have recently acquired physical disabilities and are transitioning back to community living after rehabilitation. Participants should be willing to engage with a remote peer navigator program.

Inclusion Criteria

Onset of disability within the last 6 months

Transitioned to community living in the past 4 months

Able to speak, read and understand English

Exclusion Criteria

Cognitive, sensory, or physical functional limitations that interfere with effective use of the OP-ENS - CL app.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive a remote peer navigator intervention for 12 months, meeting at least monthly with a peer navigator to address healthcare needs and concerns.

12 months

At least 12 visits (remote)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for social support, health, and community participation outcomes after the intervention.

1 month

1 visit (remote)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Our Peers - Empowerment and Navigational Support - Community Living (OP-ENS - CL)

Trial Overview

The study tests if the OP-ENS - CL intervention, which involves guidance from peers also living with disabilities, can improve social support, health outcomes, and community participation for these individuals.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: OP-ENS - CL Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be matched with a peer navigator. As part of this complex behavioral intervention, participants and peer navigators will engage in a systematic process of barrier and strength identification, goal setting and action planning related to issues of healthcare access and quality. Participants and peers will meet remotely at least monthly over the course of the 12-month study period (but frequency is determined by participant need). Given the nature of the disability and community living experience, we anticipate the needs and therefore frequency will fluctuate over the duration of the study period. Beginning in month 10, participants and peers will engage in a period of transition planning to ensure that participants have the strategies and supports in place to assume the role of their own navigator.

Group II: Usual Care Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to the usual care group will continue with their usual health, healthcare, and community living services routines. Participants in the usual care group will receive a monthly newsletter with general interest information relevant to the disability community.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Susan Magasi

Lead Sponsor

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Collaborator

Trials

42

Recruited

15,500+

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Collaborator

Trials

212

Recruited

17,900+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The OP-ENS study demonstrated that peer navigators, who are trained individuals with disabilities, effectively improved health access for Medicaid beneficiaries by building trust and addressing social health concerns like poverty and discrimination.

The community-based participatory approach allowed peer navigators to refine the intervention based on their experiences, leading to a focus on social determinants of health and enhanced support for peers with mental health needs, highlighting the importance of consumer input in healthcare interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Relationships at Work: Integrating the Perspectives of Disability Partners to Enhance a Peer Navigation Intervention. Herrman, D., Papadimitriou, C., Green, B., et al.[2022]

The study found that 4.2% of community-dwelling adults reported harmful adverse events in healthcare, primarily due to medication errors (45.5%) and misdiagnosis (25.6%), indicating a need for improved safety measures.

Self-reported harmful events were more common among individuals who had been hospitalized recently and those with lower incomes, suggesting that targeted interventions may be necessary for these vulnerable groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Self-reported adverse events in health care that cause harm: a population-based survey. Adams, RJ., Tucker, G., Price, K., et al.[2020]

A symposium with 31 healthcare professionals highlighted that preventing adverse events in community care requires a multi-faceted approach involving policy changes at various levels, including system integration and improved communication among providers.

Key recommendations from the symposium include prioritizing education for clinicians and caregivers, enhancing organizational culture, and leveraging technology to improve patient safety and reduce adverse events.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events in community care: implications for practice, policy and research. Masotti, P., Green, M., McColl, MA.[2019]

A consensus workshop with 31 healthcare professionals identified and ranked common adverse events in community care, highlighting the need for better understanding of how these events affect care quality.

The workshop emphasized the importance of further research to establish standardized definitions of adverse events and to prioritize research questions that can improve patient safety in community care settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events in community care: developing a research agenda. Masotti, P., Green, M., Shortt, S., et al.[2022]

The Our Peers-Empowerment and Navigational Supports (OP-ENS) program is a 12-month peer health navigator intervention designed specifically for Medicaid beneficiaries with physical disabilities in Chicago, aiming to improve access to healthcare services.

Developed through collaboration with disability rights leaders and healthcare researchers, OP-ENS utilizes a structured approach to identify barriers and set goals, demonstrating a community-directed method to address health disparities faced by people with disabilities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Our Peers-Empowerment and Navigational Support (OP-ENS): Development of a Peer Health Navigator Intervention to Support Medicaid Beneficiaries With Physical Disabilities. Magasi, S., Papadimitriou, C., Panko Reis, J., et al.[2021]

Citations

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Op-ENS - CL is a 12-month, remote delivered peer navigator intervention. Participants will meet with a trained peer navigator who mentors nad supports them ...

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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a remote peer navigator intervention (OP-ENS - CL) for people with newly acquired physical ...

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Our Peers—Empowerment and Navigational Support (OP-ENS)

Our Peers—Empowerment and Navigational Supports is a 12-month community-based PHN intervention that pairs Medicaid beneficiaries with physical disabilities ( ...