Changing Anxiety Response with Emotional Support [CARES] (ACTRN12626000170325 )

Study participants will receive an intervention phone call from a Social Worker or Clinical Psychologist within 5-7 days of completing the screening tools [EuroQOL 5 Dmension 5 Level((EQ5D-5L), Primary Care PTSD screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5), Kessler 10 (K10) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support )MSPSS)] in order to triage the participant for social work or psychology intervention and undertake initial goal setting. If scores indicate high distress, the research assistant or project lead will alert the Social worker (SW) and/or psychologist for priority call for risk assessment and treatment as indicated. The appropriate clinician and interventions to be delivered will be identified based on the results from the questionnaires. Social Work interventions include assessment and interventions related to housing/financial/legal issues, social supports, or emotional support. Clinical Psychology interventions include psychosocial support with focus on psychoeducation, psychological first aid, trauma informed emotional support and coping strategies. Both interventions will provide the patient with personalised resources, dependent on patient needs eg information regarding child support, family violence, Lifeline etc. The sessions will take place via phone call unless the patient has a strong desire for face to face meetings which could be facilitated. Depending upon the levels of distress and/or concerns raised by the participants in both response to the questionnaires and/ in the phone contact, psychology and/social work interventions will be provided as deemed clinically necessary. Community referrals will be facilitated as required, and duration and frequency of sessions will be considered in line with psychology and social work professional duty of care standards, hence the total duration is unknown but we anticipate that the follow up will be less than 2 months. Session completion records including length and number of treatments will be recorded.

Trial phase

Pilot

Trial participation type

This trial is for clinical research of something other than a drug or device.

Principal investigator

Dr Lara Kimmel

Key inclusion data

INCLUSION: Age 18 years or older; Admitted to The Alfred trauma ward following a traumatic incident; Able to provide written informed consent; EQ5D-5L is a routinely administered questionnaire as part of usual care: threshold for study inclusion is an anxiety/depression score ≥moderate on hospital admission or discharge approximately 250 patients/year); Valid Medicare card. EXCLUSION: Discharge destination is prison.