Randomized Trial of a Peer-Led, Telephone-Based Empowerment Intervention for Persons With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Improves Health Self-Management

Abstract Objective To evaluate the impact of “My Care My Call” (MCMC), a peer-led, telephone-based health self-management intervention in adults with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Setting General community. Participants Convenience sample of adults with SCI (N=84; mean time post-SCI, 9.9y; mean age, 46y; 73.8% men; 44% with paraplegia; 58% white). Interventions Trained peer health coaches applied the person-centered health self-management intervention with 42 experimental subjects over 6 months on a tapered call schedule. The 42 control subjects received usual care. Both groups received the MCMC Resource Guide. Main Outcome Measures Primary outcome—health self-management as measured by the Patient Activation Measure (PAM). Secondary outcomes—global ratings of service/resource use, health-related quality of life, and quality of primary care. Results Intervention participants averaged 12 calls over 6 months (averaging 21.8min each), with distinct variation. At 6 months, intervention participants reported a significantly greater change in PAM scores (6mo: estimate, 7.029; 95% confidence interval, .1018–13.956; P =.0468) compared with controls, with a trend toward significance at 4 months. At 6 months, intervention participants reported a significantly greater decrease in social/role activity limitations (estimate, −.443; P =.0389), greater life satisfaction (estimate, 1.0091; P =.0522), greater services/resources awareness (estimate, 1.678; P =.0253), greater overall service use (estimate, 1.069; P =.0240), and a greater number of services used (estimate, 1.542; P =.0077). Subgroups most impacted by MCMC on PAM change scores included the following: high social support, white persons, men, 1 to 6 years postinjury, and tetraplegic. Conclusions This trial demonstrates that the MCMC peer-led, health self-management intervention achieved a positive impact on self-management to prevent secondary conditions in adults with SCI. These results warrant a larger, multisite trial of its efficacy and cost-effectiveness.