Comparative effectiveness of two versions of a caring contacts intervention in healthcare providers, staff, and patients for reducing loneliness and mental distress: A randomized controlled trial

Caring Contacts can effectively reduce suicide ideation, attempts, and death. In published clinical trials, Caring Contacts were sent by someone who knew the recipient. At scale, Caring Contacts programs rarely introduce the recipient and sender. It is not known whether receiving Caring Contacts from someone unknown is as effective as messages from someone the recipient has met. Pragmatic randomized controlled trial comparing Caring Contacts with (CC+) versus without an introductory phone call (CC). Recruitment occurred January–July 2021, with outcomes assessed at 6 months. Participants were primary care patients or healthcare providers/staff reporting adverse mental health outcomes on a qualifying survey. Participants were sent 11 standardized caring text messages over 6 months; when participants replied, they received personalized unscripted responses. CC+ calls were semi-structured. The primary outcome was loneliness (NIH Toolkit). Participants included 331 patients (mean [SD] age: 45.5 [16.4], 78.9 % female) and 335 healthcare providers/staff (mean [SD] age: 40.9 [11.8], 86.6 % female). There were no significant differences in loneliness at 6 months by treatment arm in either stratum. In patients, mean (SD) loneliness was 61.9 (10.7) in CC, and 60.8 (10.3) in CC+, adjusted mean difference of −1.0 (95 % CI: −3.0, 1.0); p-value = 0.31. In providers/staff, mean (SD) loneliness was 61.2 (11) in CC, and 61.3 (11.1) in CC+, adjusted mean difference of 0.2 (95 % CI: −1.8, 2.2); p-value = 0.83. Study population was 93 % white which may limit generalizability. Including an initial phone call added operational complexity without significantly improving the effectiveness of a Caring Contacts program. •Evidence supports use of Caring Contacts to reduce suicidal ideation and behavior.•Important questions remain regarding how to deliver the intervention.•Introducing Caring Contacts recipients to the sender may not be necessary.•Outcomes were similar whether participants knew the person texting them or not.•Eliminating introductions could reduce the cost and complexity of the intervention.