Summary: Investigators at the University of Washington, Seattle, are recruiting up to 200 people with all types of MS nationwide for a study comparing the effects of two telephone-delivered self-management programs targeting pain, fatigue, and depression. The study, also called Take Charge, is funded by the National Institutes on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) as part of the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Multiple Sclerosis (MSRRTC) at the University of Washington. Rationale: Pain, fatigue, and depression are some of the most common symptoms of MS. Self-management approaches – programs and strategies that enable people to monitor and manage their disease, its symptoms, and its consequences – have been shown to help people with other chronic conditions reduce similar symptoms. The purpose of this study is to see if these treatments, when delivered by telephone, can help reduce pain, depressed mood, or fatigue in people with MS, and reduce the negative consequences that these problems may cause in terms of a person’s mood, daily activities, and quality of life. Eligibility and Details: Participants should be at least 18 years old, be diagnosed with MS, and must have at least one of three symptoms (fatigue, pain, depression) that is currently interfering with daily life. People currently participating in regularly scheduled psychotherapy are excluded. Further details on enrollment criteria are available from the contact below. Participants are being randomly assigned to one of two “self-management” approaches, both involving eight phone treatment sessions delivered by clinical psychologists or social workers. Both treatments involve educating participants about pain, fatigue, and depressed mood, and teaching different ways of managing these problems in hopes of reducing them and their impact on daily life. Every participant will receive eight weekly therapy sessions (lasting 60-75 minutes) and five phone surveys (lasting 60 minutes). Participation in the study will last 13 months. Participants will be compensated up to $120 for time and effort. Contact: To learn more about the enrollment criteria for this study, and to find out if you are eligible to participate, please contact Laura Henderson at (206) 221-5642, 1-888-634-6778 (toll-free), or via email, at: msrrtc@uw.edu. Download a brochure that discusses issues to think about when considering enrolling in an MS clinical trial (PDF). Note from blog: We are sorry for not posting, we will get back to it, and keep it up.
