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Major Clinical Trial Shows Promising Results Amidst COVID Pandemic
A groundbreaking study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic has uncovered a promising method to prevent depression and loneliness among older individuals. The research, led by a team from the University of York, Hull York Medical School, and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, demonstrates that structured telephone-based psychological care delivered over eight weeks can lead to rapid and enduring improvements in mental health and quality of life.
Published in the prestigious journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity, the study involved a major clinical trial known as the Behavioral Activation in Social Isolation (BASIL+). Participants, aged over 65 with multiple long-term conditions, received weekly phone calls from specially trained coaches over an eight-week period. These coaches encouraged participants to maintain social connections and remain active, aiming to combat the heightened risk of loneliness and depression faced by older individuals, particularly during the pandemic.
The results of the BASIL+ trial were remarkable. Levels of depression significantly decreased among participants, surpassing the benefits seen with antidepressants. Moreover, emotional loneliness reduced by 21% over a three-month period, with the positive effects persisting even after the conclusion of the phone calls.
Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham OBE, Professor of General Practice Research at Keele University, expressed her satisfaction with the trial’s outcomes, emphasizing the collaborative effort among universities to address critical health challenges. She highlighted the importance of translating the trial’s results into tangible improvements in the lives of older individuals beyond the pandemic.
Professor Simon Gilbody from the University of York and Hull York Medical School, one of the study’s lead researchers, emphasized the severe health implications of loneliness and depression, equating loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. He underscored the significance of the BASIL+ trial in advancing understanding and treatment of these mental health issues.
Professor David Ekers from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, co-lead of the study, expressed excitement about the trial’s findings, noting the collaborative effort involving the NHS, universities, and third-sector organizations. He emphasized the importance of rigorous trials in advancing mental health science, particularly amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic.
Dr. Liz Littlewood, the BASIL+ trial manager from the University of York, commended the partnership between various stakeholders in tackling major health challenges. She highlighted the success of the collaborative approach in addressing the pressing issue of loneliness and depression among older individuals.
The BASIL+ trial’s findings offer a beacon of hope for addressing mental health concerns among older populations, highlighting the effectiveness of structured telephone-based psychological care in preventing depression and loneliness.
