Improving mental health for home health aides

Improving the Mental Health of Home Health Aides: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Not applicable Interventional Weill Medical College of Cornell University · NCT06071221

This study tests if an 8-week program that combines health education and positive thinking can help improve the mental health of home health aides.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment100 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorWeill Medical College of Cornell University Academic / other
Locations2 sites (New York, New York and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06071221 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study aims to enhance the mental health of home health aides through an 8-week program called Living Healthy, which focuses on health education and positive thinking. Participants will be divided into two groups: one receiving the Living Healthy program along with peer coaching from trained home health aides, and the other receiving only the Living Healthy program. The study will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the intervention in reducing depressive symptoms and improving overall well-being. Most of the program will be conducted virtually, with initial onboarding potentially taking place in person.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are home health aides who are at least 18 years old, speak English or Spanish, and exhibit mild depressive symptoms or other risk factors for poor mental health.

Not a fit: Patients who do not speak English or Spanish, or who have less than one year of experience as home health aides, will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this program could significantly improve the mental health and well-being of home health aides, leading to better care for their patients.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown success with similar peer coaching and behavioral health interventions, indicating a promising approach for this population.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Currently working as a home health aide
* Speak English or Spanish
* ≥ 18 years of age
* Have mild depressive symptoms (Personal Health Questionnaire 8-item \[PHQ8\] scale ≥ 5 points), or other risk factors for poor mental health as assessed by the following domains including stress (Cohen's Perceived Stress 4-item scale \[PSS4\] ≥5) or loneliness (≥6 on the 3-item UCLA Loneliness scale).

Exclusion Criteria:

* Speak a language other than English or Spanish
* Less than 1 year of job experience as a home health aide

Where this trial is running

New York, New York and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Mental Health Issuebehavioral health interventionhome health aidedepressive symptomspeer coachingstress
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.