Social prescribing to help women with heart failure stick to treatments and avoid hospital visits.
Official title: Social Prescribing to Improve Adherence and Outcomes in Women With Heart Failure
Run by McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre · NCT06628973 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try social prescribing—connecting women with heart failure to community supports—to help them take heart medicines and reduce hospitalizations.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Montreal, Quebec and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 23, 2025 |
| Main results expected | October 23, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | February 20, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06628973 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are women aged 18 or older with documented heart failure, a valid provincial health identifier, and a score of two or more on the weighted SPARK questionnaire who can engage with link-worker support.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who do not take heart failure medications, are not residents of the participating provinces or have severe cognitive impairment that prevents engagement are unlikely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a multicenter, open-label, randomized intention-to-treat trial conducted at five heart failure clinics in Alberta and Quebec. Eligible women will be matched within centers and randomized to receive social prescribing delivered by trained link workers or to usual care. The intervention includes a six-month preparation and link-worker training phase, creation of local community resource lists, active linkage to supports, and follow-up. The main aims are to improve adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy and reduce hospitalizations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could increase medication adherence and reduce hospitalizations and deaths among women with heart failure.
How similar studies have gone: Social prescribing has shown promise in other chronic conditions, but it is a relatively novel approach with limited prior evidence specifically for improving adherence and outcomes in women with heart failure.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Women * 18 years of age or older * Documented HF of any etiology * Valid personal health identifier * Two or more points on the weighted SPARK questionnaire Exclusion Criteria: * Patients not meeting inclusion criteria * Do not take HF medications * Not residents of the province where they are being followed or who have opted out from their provincial health registry * Patients with severe cognitive impairment or other conditions that significantly impact the ability to participate in SP will also be excluded.
Where it's running
-
Royal Victoria Hospital
Montreal, Quebec, Canada Recruiting -
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Montreal, Quebec, Canada Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Dr. Louise Pilote, MD MPH PhD FRCPC
- Email: Louise.pilote@mcgill.ca
- Phone: +1 514-934-1934
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.