Matthew Chinman1, Sharon McCarthy1, Chantele Mitchell-Miland1, Rachel L Bachrach1, Russell K Schutt1, Marsha Ellison1. 1. Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion and the Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (Chinman, Mitchell-Miland, Bachrach) and Department of Health Science (McCarthy), Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh; Department of Health, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California (Chinman); Department of Sociology (Schutt) and Department of Psychiatry (Ellison), University of Massachusetts, Boston.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Peer specialists are individuals with behavioral disorders who complete training to use their experiences to help others with similar disorders. Recent analyses have suggested that greater engagement with peer specialist services is associated with fewer psychiatric symptoms. This study assessed predictors of engagement with peer specialist services. METHODS: Using the Andersen model of health service utilization with a sample of veterans (N=71) receivinghousing support, investigators constructed a negative binomial regression model to evaluate the association between peer specialist service engagement and the model's three factors assessed at baseline of a larger trial: predisposing (personal demographic and social variables); enabling (support variables), and need (perceived and evaluated health problems). Demographic characteristics and behavioral health service use six months before baseline were also predictors. RESULTS: Greater hope (predisposing), psychiatric symptoms (need), and service utilization significantly predicted greater peer specialist engagement. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest subpopulations with whom peer specialists would be most likely to engage successfully, perhaps improving their efficiency.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: Peer specialists are individuals with behavioral disorders who complete training to use their experiences to help others with similar disorders. Recent analyses have suggested that greater engagement with peer specialist services is associated with fewer psychiatric symptoms. This study assessed predictors of engagement with peer specialist services. METHODS: Using the Andersen model of health service utilization with a sample of veterans (N=71) receiving housing support, investigators constructed a negative binomial regression model to evaluate the association between peer specialist service engagement and the model's three factors assessed at baseline of a larger trial: predisposing (personal demographic and social variables); enabling (support variables), and need (perceived and evaluated health problems). Demographic characteristics and behavioral health service use six months before baseline were also predictors. RESULTS: Greater hope (predisposing), psychiatric symptoms (need), and service utilization significantly predicted greater peer specialist engagement. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest subpopulations with whom peer specialists would be most likely to engage successfully, perhaps improving their efficiency.
Authors: Johanne Eliacin; Diana J Burgess; Angela L Rollins; Scott Patterson; Teresa Damush; Matthew J Bair; Michelle P Salyers; Michele Spoont; James E Slaven; Caitlin O'Connor; Kiara Walker; Denise S Zou; Emily Austin; John Akins; James Miller; Matthew Chinman; Marianne S Matthias Journal: JMIR Res Protoc Date: 2022-09-06