Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Dr Erik VanRossum
ORCID ID
Contact details
P.O.Box 616
Maastricht
6200 MD
Netherlands
+31 (0)43 388 2367
Erik.Vanrossum@epid.unimaas.nl
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
2200.0115
Study information
Scientific title
Acronym
Study hypothesis
Preventive home visits to elderly people by public health nurses aim to maintain or improve the functional status of elderly and reduce the use of institutional care services. A number of trials that investigated the effects of home visits show positive results, but others do not. The outcomes can depend on differences in characteristics of the intervention programme, but also on the selection of the target population. A risk group approach seems promising, but further evidence is needed. We decided to carry out a study to investigate the effects in a population of elderly with (perceived) poor health rather than the general population. Also, we test whether nurses who are qualified at a lower professional level (home nurses instead of public health nurses) are able to obtain convincing effects. The results of this study will contribute to the discussion on effective public health strategies for the aged.
Ethics approval
Not provided at time of registration
Study design
Randomised controlled trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Other
Patient information sheet
Condition
Self-reported (perceived) health problems
Intervention
The intervention consists of (at least) 8 systematic home visits over an 18 months period. Experienced home nurses from the local home care organisation carry out the visits. The control group receives usual care.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Specified
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
The outcome measures cover 2 domains: health status and service use. In addition a cost effectiveness analysis will be conducted.
The primary health related outcome measures are: self-rated health, functional status, quality of life and changes in self-reported problems.
The use of services relates to the frequency and duration of care from the following services: domestic and community nursing care, GP, physiotherapy, day care in institutional care settings, hospital outpatient clinics, hospital, nursing home, home for the elderly, use of aids and modifications to the home. The primary outcomes for service use are specialist medical care and hospital (re-) admission.
Secondary outcome measures
Secondary health related outcome measures: information will be obtained, among other things, on health complaints, medication use, and loneliness and mental health. The
municipality will supply mortality data over the entire research period.
Overall trial start date
01/05/2002
Overall trial end date
30/11/2006
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
Elderly (70-84 years) living in the community with self-reported poor health status
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Senior
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
330
Participant exclusion criteria
Those who already receive home nursing care
Recruitment start date
01/05/2002
Recruitment end date
30/11/2006
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Netherlands
Trial participating centre
P.O.Box 616
Maastricht
6200 MD
Netherlands
Sponsor information
Organisation
Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) (Netherlands)
Sponsor details
Laan van Nieuw Oost Indië 334
P.O. Box 93245
The Hague
2509 AE
Netherlands
+31 (0)70 349 5111
bloemers@zonmw.nl
Sponsor type
Research organisation
Website
Funders
Funder type
Research organisation
Funder name
Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), 2200.0115
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2004 protocol in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15601473
2008 results in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18375878
Publication citations
-
Protocol
Nicolaides-Bouman A, van Rossum E, Kempen GI, Knipschild P, Effects of home visits by home nurses to elderly people with health problems: design of a randomised clinical trial in the Netherlands [ISRCTN92017183]., BMC Health Serv Res, 2004, 4, 1, 35, doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-4-35.
-
Results
Bouman A, van Rossum E, Evers S, Ambergen T, Kempen G, Knipschild P, Effects on health care use and associated cost of a home visiting program for older people with poor health status: a randomized clinical trial in the Netherlands., J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., 2008, 63, 3, 291-297.