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NCT Number: NCT07199387

PeerOnCall: Implementing and Evaluating App-Based Peer Support in Canadian Fire Services

The goal of this clinical trial is to test how best to implement a mobile peer support app called PeerOnCall in Canadian fire services. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Do firefighters use the app more with a structured implementation compared to standard implementation? 2. Does using the app improve mental health and workplace outcomes? Researchers will compare a standard implementation approach with basic onboarding to more structured implementation with weekly reminders, new content, and feedback reports to see if these features encourage more consistent app use.

Participants will:

1. Use the PeerOnCall app to access private peer support and wellness resources. 2. Participate in surveys, interviews, and focus groups about their app experience and workplace environment.

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Key information

Conditions

Firefighters Behavior Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Must be a working aged adult (18-70)
  • Must be employed in a participating Canadian Fire Service organization
  • Agree to download the PeerOnCall app to their mobile phone (iPhone or Android)

Exclusion criteria

  • Not able to access app on their smart device

Treatment and study plan

App Users (Structured Implementation)

Other

The structured implementation (intervention) group will follow a structured protocol designed to promote weekly app engagement. This includes regular updates to customized content, reminders to use the app, and feedback on use. Weekly content updates and push notifications will be provided through the app, and the research team will communicate monthly with organizational champions with feedback reports on app utilization to reinforce engagement.

App Users (Standard Implementation)

Other

The standard implementation (control) group will receive baseline support, allowing firefighters to use the app as they choose. The research team will provide an initial orientation for organizations and peer supporters, but the organizational champion will be responsible for communication and follow-up. The research team will respond to questions and prompt data collection.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change from Baseline Score on the Mental Health Continuum at 1 year

    Time frame: From Baseline to the end of implementation at 1-year

    Impact on mental health (primary) outcome - A 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) will be used to measure mental health status as a continuous variable, aligning with the mental health continuum commonly used in the public safety community. The scale uses color coding from 0 (green/well) to 10 (red/crisis) with strong concurrent validity (r = .60 to .74) compared to other anxiety measures. Pilot research indicated that firefighters are resistant to lengthy psychological questionnaires, so this brief, intuitive, and widely accepted single-item scale was selected to optimize response rates. App users will receive monthly in-app notifications prompting them to complete the scale. Since the scale is integrated into the app, data can be directly linked to app utilization.

  2. App Engagement (App Opens)

    Time frame: From enrolment to the end of implementation at 1-year

    App opens will be tracked as a binary variable, measuring whether an employee opens the app at least once during the 12-month study period. This initial adoption measure will be monitored using unique ID numbers to track the total number of app opens per user. A list of eligible employees will be established at the start of the intervention and monitored over time to assess engagement across the organization.

  3. App Engagement (Peer Support Outreach)

    Time frame: From enrolment to the end of implementation at 1-year

    Peer support outreach will be measured by the number of text or phone interactions initiated with a peer support provider. Software analytics will track individual use patterns, including whether users reach out once or multiple times to peer support. Higher outreach frequency reflects greater engagement with the app.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change from Baseline Score on the WLQ-F at 1 year

    Time frame: From Baseline to the end of implementation at 1-year

    The secondary outcome is firefighter work performance, measured using the 36-item Work Limitations Questionnaire for Firefighters (WLQ-F), which assesses physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and time-related work demands. Responses are scored on a 5-point Likert scale from 0% (not limited at all) to 100% (unable to do), with higher scores indicating greater limitations.

  2. Mental Health Absenteeism

    Time frame: From enrolment to the end of implementation at 1-year

    Absenteeism, measured as the number of mental health related sick days will also be tracked in each organization. These productivity or performance measures provide important organizational impact data.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Co-Principal Investigator

CONTACT

[email protected]

9054672155

Co-Principal Investigator

CONTACT

[email protected]

289-237-3470

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

McMaster University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

PeerOnCall: A Cluster Randomized Trial of a Peer Support Mobile Health Platform in Canadian Fire Service Organizations

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Sep 30, 2025
Registry last updated
Oct 3, 2025

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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