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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03323853

Computerized Assessment and Referral System Screener for Mental Health Evaluations in the Emergency Setting

This is a hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial which will be conducted at the emergency department (ED) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The hypothesis of this study is that use of the CARS (a computerized mental health screener) will modify emergency department treatment of patients with previously undiagnosed mental illness.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental Health Behavior Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205, United States

About this study

This pragmatic mixed methods clinical trial will compare the intervention of providing a CARS screener report to emergency providers to not providing the report. It will also collect qualitative data regarding implementation of the CARS screener and report. Consecutive patients presenting when a research associate is available will be approached to participate. Patients will be approached after evaluation by an emergency physician.

The Computerized Assessment and Referral System (CARS) is based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), a validated instrument for assessing mental health diagnoses.CARS was piloted at 6 different sites in 2016, all in DUI populations. As CARS has not been specifically validated on non-DUI populations, investigators will collect alcohol history (see below). The CARS self-assessment version (CARS-SA) will be utilized in this study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • >18 years of age
  • Not incarcerated
  • English-speaking and English-writing (as translators will not be available for this study)

Exclusion criteria

  • Unable or unwilling to complete CARS screener
  • Unable or unwilling to provide any history of alcohol abuse
  • Currently presenting with a chief complaint of a psychiatric symptom
  • Currently presenting with a substance use complaint
  • History of a known psychiatric condition
  • Patients taking psychiatric medication

Treatment and study plan

Computerized Assessment and Referral System (CARS) Self-Assessment Screener

Behavioral

Subjects will take the CARS-SA Screener.

Other names: CARS-SA Screener

CARS-SA Summary Results

Behavioral

Subjects will be evaluated by emergency care providers using the CARS-SA Summary Results Report.

Other names: CARS-SA Report

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants With CARS Mental Health Diagnoses Made in the ED; the Number of Psychiatry Evaluations in the Emergency Department (ED); and the Number of Mental Health Referrals Made From the ED

    Time frame: Up to 12 hours

    The composite measure includes: the number of CARS mental health diagnoses made in the ED; the number of psychiatry evaluations in the emergency department (ED); and the number of mental health referrals made from the ED.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Arkansas

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Utility of the Computerized Assessment and Referral System (CARS) Screener for Mental Health Evaluations in the Emergency Setting

Acronym: CARS-SA

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Oct 27, 2017
Registry last updated
Jun 24, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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