Benjamin G. Druss|Liping Zhao|Silke A. von Esenwein|Joseph R. Bona|Larry Fricks|Sherry Jenkins-Tucker|Evelina W. Sterling|Ralph J. DiClemente|Kate Lorig
The Health and Recovery Peer (HARP) Program: A peer-led intervention to improve medical self-management for persons with serious mental illness
Emory University
persons serious mental illnesses smi elevated rates comorbid medical conditions may also face challenges effectively managing conditionsthe study team developed pilottested health recovery program harp adaptation chronic disease selfmanagement program cdsmp mental health consumers manualized sixsession intervention delivered mental health peer leaders helps participants become effective managers chronic illnesses pilot trial randomized 80 consumers one chronic medical illness either harp program usual careat six month followup participants harp program significantly greater improvement patient activation usual care 77 relative improvement vs 57 decline p003 group time interaction rates one primary care visit 684 vs 519 one visit p0046 group time interaction intervention advantages observed physical health related quality life hrqol physical activity medication adherence though statistically significant similar effect sizes seen cdsmp general medical populations improvements hrqol largest among medically socially vulnerable subpopulationsthis peerled medical selfmanagement program feasible showed promise improving range health outcomes among mental health consumers chronic medical comorbidities harp intervention may provide vehicle mental health peer workforce actively engage efforts reduce morbidity mortality among mental health consumers