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Community-based Approach to Lowering Stress Through Mindfulness

Addressing Depression for African American Adults With Hypertension: Applying Community-Engaged Implementation Science

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06987799
Acronym
CALM-Chicago
Enrollment
60
Registered
2025-05-23
Start date
2025-09-10
Completion date
2028-05-31
Last updated
2026-04-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depression, Hypertension

Keywords

culturally adapted, african american, depression, high blood pressure, hypertension

Brief summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to test a culturally adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention in a community setting for African American adults with high blood pressure (hypertension) and depression. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does participation in a culturally adapted mindfulness-based intervention improve depressive symptoms? * Does participation in a culturally adapted mindfulness-based intervention improve blood pressure control? * Is the intervention acceptable, appropriate, and feasible as delivered in a community setting? Participants will: * Participate in an 8-week group-based mindfulness intervention (CALM-Chicago). During intervention sessions, participants will learn about mindfulness and stress management and complete mindfulness-based activities, such as guided deep breathing and meditation. * Complete surveys online * Have their blood pressure measured with a non-invasive blood pressure cuff * Attend 1 focus group (optional)

Interventions

BEHAVIORALMindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR; CALM-Chicago Study)

This clinical trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the culturally adapted intervention, CALM-Chicago, in a community setting. CALM-Chicago has been previously used in a clinical setting.

Sponsors

Northwestern University
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
CollaboratorNIH
Total Resource Community Development Organization (TRCDO)
CollaboratorUNKNOWN

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* ≥18 years old * Lives, works, or spends much of their time in the South Side of Chicago neighborhood * Self-reports diagnosis of hypertension or high blood pressure by a clinician * Endorses elevated depressive symptoms as Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 scores ≥10 * Not taking antidepressant medication or stable on antidepressant medication for ≥6 months as self-reported

Exclusion criteria

* \<18 years old * Severe mental illness (e.g., bipolar disorder, psychosis) * Current suicidal ideation (PHQ-9 item 9) or recent (past 6 months) suicide attempt * Unable to provide informed consent or complete study activities in English

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Effectiveness: Depressive Symptom ResponseFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksDepressive symptoms are defined as signs and feeling that indicate that a person may be experiencing depression, such as sadness, fatigue, loss of interest or pleasure, and change in appetite. As a clinically sensitive measures of depressive symptom response, participants will complete the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The CES-D consists of twenty items rated on a four-point Likert scale from 1 (Rarely or None of the time) to 4 (Most or All of the time). Total scores range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating a greater burden of depressive symptoms. The CES-D is often used in clinical trials and will be used as a measure of effect of the intervention as change in depressive symptoms and has been validated in diverse populations.
Effectiveness: Systolic Blood Pressure ResponseFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksBlood pressure (BP) will be measured with an automated BP cuff. Participants will be instructed to rest quietly for 5 minutes, sit upright with feet on the floor, and keep their arm on a flat surface at heart level. Two readings will be taken and averaged. A clinically meaningful change in systolic BP, as defined as a decrease of ≥5 mmHg, would be indicative of a clinical effect of the intervention.
Implementation: AcceptabilityAssessed every 6 during the clinical trial enrollment and follow-up for up to 3 yearsOne of the primary implementation outcomes will be acceptability of the intervention and its implementation from the perspectives of participants, community members, and organizational leadership. Acceptability will be measured using the Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM). The AIM is a 4-item measure with each item scored using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree). AIM scores range from 4 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability.
Implementation: AppropriatenessAssessed every 6 during the clinical trial enrollment and follow-up for up to 3 yearsOne of the primary implementation outcomes will be appropriateness of the intervention and its implementation from the perspectives of participants, community members, and organizational leadership. Appropriateness will be measured using the Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM). The IAM is a 4-item measure with each item scored using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree). IAM scores range from 4 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater appropriateness.
Implementation: FeasibilityAssessed every 6 during the clinical trial enrollment and follow-up for up to 3 yearsOne of the primary implementation outcomes will be feasibility of the intervention and its implementation from the perspectives of participants, community members, and organizational leadership. Feasibility will be measured using the Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM). The FIM is a 4-item measure with each item scored using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree). FIM scores range from 4 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater feasibility.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Effectiveness: Depressive Symptom RemissionFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksDepressive symptoms are defined as signs and feeling that indicate that a person may be experiencing depression, such as sadness, fatigue, loss of interest or pleasure, or change in appetite. As a measure of depression that is commonly used in medical care, participants will complete the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item scale (PHQ-9). The PHQ-9 consists of 9 items that are rated on a four-point Likert scale from 0 (Not at all) to 3 (Nearly every day). Total scores range from 0 to 27, where higher score indicate greater burden of depressive symptoms. Scores ≥10 on the PHQ-9 are suggestive of a depressive episode. The PHQ-9 is consistent with measurement of depressive symptoms in medical/clinical settings and will serve as a clinically meaningful indicator of improvement in depressive symptoms (50% decrease in PHQ-9 score and/or PHQ-9 score \<10).
Effectiveness: Blood Pressure ControlFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksBlood pressure control is defined as maintaining blood pressure within a healthy range (i.e., \<120/\<80 mmHg for healthy adults; \<130/\<80 mmHg for adults with hypertension). Blood pressure will be measured with an automated BP cuff. Participants will be instructed to rest quietly for 5 minutes, sit upright with feet on the floor, and keep their arm on a flat surface at heart level. Two readings will be taken and averaged. Blood pressure control (clinically meaningful indicator) will be defined as \<130/\<80 mmHg, per American Heart Association guidelines of blood pressure control among individuals diagnosed with hypertension.
Effectiveness: Medication AdherenceFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksMedication adherence is defined as whether a person takes a medication as prescribed (e.g., twice daily). Medication adherence will be measured using the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale. The Hill-Bone Compliance Scale is a 14-item scale with each item scored using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (All of the time) to 4 (None of the time). One item is reverse coded. Total scores range from 14 to 56, where higher scores indicate poorer medication adherence.
Implementation: FidelityAssessed after each intervention group during the clinical trial enrollment and follow-up for up to 3 yearsFidelity will be assessed by how well the interventionists, community members, organizational leaders, and researchers adhere to the intervention and implementation protocols. Specifically fidelity to the intervention protocol will be measured using the Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC). Ratings will be completed by the group leaders (self-ratings) and by trained research team members. The MBI:TAC summary sheet evaluates instructor competency across 6 domains, each comprising 3 to 5 key features. Items are scored using a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Incompetent) to 6 (Advanced). Total scores range from 27 to 162, with higher scores indicating greater competency in delivering the intervention and, therefore, greater intervention fidelity.

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTAsia Ellis, BA
asia.ellis@northwestern.edu13125033569
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAllison J Carroll, PhD

Northwestern University

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Apr 14, 2026