PROBLEM-SOLVING TRAINING IN VA HOME BASED PRIMARY CARE TO REDUCE STRESS AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE

摘要

Veterans in Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) face substantial physical, cognitive, and/or mental health challenges. Problem-solving therapy approaches have empirical support for improving distress among older adults and primary care patients. This evaluation examined the effectiveness of a 6-session Problem-Solving Training (PST) intervention with 167 HBPC-enrolled Veterans, 40 to 94 years old, between 2014 and 2016. From baseline to post-intervention, Veterans reported significantly reduced depressive symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item, t(141) = 6.39, p < .001, d = .54, and significantly improved quality of life on the WHO Quality of Life-BREF in physical health, t(137) = -6.00, p < .001, d = .51, psychological, t(137) = -4.41, p < .001, d = .38, and environmental domains, t(137) = -3.33, p<.01, d = .28. Clinicians and Veterans reported high satisfaction with the program. Findings support ongoing dissemination and implementation of PST-HBPC and potential for its use in non-VA home-care settings.