Work as a determinant of health: A pragmatic trial of enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy to bolster competitive work and wellness in veterans with serious mental illness (WORKWELL)

NIH RePORTER · VA · I01 · · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Project background: Work is a major social determinant of health. In people with serious mental illness (SMI), work is associated with better wellbeing, physical and mental health, quality of life, and may prevent the onset of disability. Among Veterans with SMI, work is a protective factor against suicide. Most veterans with SMI are unemployed and suffer substantially worse health and recovery across key domains. Despite quality VHA vocational services, such as supported employment (SE), two-thirds or more of veterans who receive these services experience work dysfunction. A probable explanation lies in unsolved cognitive and behavioral barriers, such as low work-related self-efficacy, ineffective coping skills, little hope that work is attainable, poor work motivation and sense of self. The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Work Success (CBTw) intervention was designed to target these problems and augment VHA SE services to synergistically improve work, as well as health and recovery, in Veterans with SMI. In an open trial pilot, CBTw was associated with significant increases in hours worked and wages earned and the majority of CBTw participants became steady workers. Veterans also experienced improvements in symptoms, recovery, and quality of life. Project goals: Using Hybrid 1 RCT design, this project will test the effects of CBTw on competitive work and health and recovery outcomes over a 9-month study period at 3 VA SE programs. Informed by the RE-AIM framework, an implementation evaluation will examine the success of using SE staff to deliver CBTw, barriers and facilitators to implementation, and strategies utilized. Relevance to priorities: This project has high implementation potential and is responsive to the VHA priority regarding Health Equity, as it will address work functioning, an under studied social determinant of health. WORKWELL also holds promise to improve health and recovery outcomes among Veterans with SMI, another HSR&D area of emphasis. Lastly, this study is consistent with the goal of finding novel strategies toward suicide prevention among vulnerable Veteran groups, including those with SMI. Objectives: Aim 1: Test the effects of CBTw + SE compared to a control of psychoeducation + SE on work. Hypotheses: Participants in the CBTw+ SE arm will work significantly more total weeks in competitive jobs (primary study outcome) and will be more likely to become steady workers. Aim 2: Test the effects of CBTw + SE on health and recovery. Hypotheses: Participants in the CBTw + SE arm will have greater improvements on subjective recovery and health-related quality of life, and decreases in symptoms, suicidal ideation, and inpatient service utilization. Aim 3: Guided by the RE-AIM implementation science framework, conduct an evaluation of the implementation of CBTw, including examination of the feasibility of using SE staff to deliver CBTw, and related barriers and facilitators. The objective is to spur future wide scale CBTw imp...

Key facts

NIH application ID
10242637
Project number
5I01HX002874-02
Recipient
RLR VA MEDICAL CENTER
Principal Investigator
Marina Kukla
Activity code
I01
Funding institute
VA
Fiscal year
2022
Award amount
Award type
5
Project period
2020-10-01 → 2024-09-30