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A Randomized Clinical Trial Investigating the Effect of a Healthcare Access Model for Individuals with Severe Psychiatric Disabilities

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Abstract

We conducted a randomized trial to examine a model for integrating primary care into a community mental health setting. Two hundred individuals were recruited and randomly assigned to receive primary care delivered by a nurse practitioner (n = 94) or services-as-usual (n = 106), assessed on health and mental health outcomes, and followed for 12 months. Intent-to-Treat and exposure analyses were conducted and suggest that participants who engaged with the nurse practitioner experienced gains in perceptions of primary care quality. Health benefits accrued for individuals having receiving nurse practitioner services in a mental health setting to address primary care needs.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, #H133B040026. The results do not express the opinions of the funding bodies. The authors would like to thank the following individuals who were instrumental in the conduct of this study: Northeast Health Systems, Louise Sebba and Kathleen MacDonald.

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Author notes

  1. Mihoko Maru

    Present address: Boston University School of Social Work, Boston, MA, USA

  2. Megan Kash-MacDonald

    Present address: Institute of Child Health, University College London (UCL), London, England

  3. Mariah Archer-Williams

    Present address: Sharp HealthCare, San Diego, CA, USA

  4. Lobat Hashemi

    Present address: Genzyme, Sanofi, Boston, MA, USA

  5. Judith Boardman

    Present address: Salem State University, Salem, MA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, 940 Commonwealth Ave, West, Boston, MA, USA

    E. Sally Rogers, Mihoko Maru, Megan Kash-MacDonald, Mariah Archer-Williams & Lobat Hashemi

  2. Northeast Health Systems/Health and Education Services, Inc., Beverly, MA, USA

    Judith Boardman

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  1. E. Sally Rogers
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  2. Mihoko Maru
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  3. Megan Kash-MacDonald
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Correspondence to E. Sally Rogers.

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Rogers, E.S., Maru, M., Kash-MacDonald, M. et al. A Randomized Clinical Trial Investigating the Effect of a Healthcare Access Model for Individuals with Severe Psychiatric Disabilities. Community Ment Health J 52, 667–674 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0009-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-016-0009-3

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