Testing a Mobile Mindfulness Therapy App to Reduce Anxiety in Older Adults with Serious Illness and Their Caregivers

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate a mobile health mindfulness therapy intervention for older adults with serious illness and their caregivers. Many older adults with serious illness experience anxiety and have limited access to effective non-drug treatments. Caregivers also face high levels of stress and anxiety due to the mutual impact of patient and caregiver distress. This study focuses on reducing anxiety in this patient-caregiver dyad using a scalable, evidence-based approach. The study compares two mobile apps Mindfulness Coach, a Veterans Affairs-based mindfulness training app with 14 levels of guided meditations, exercises, and assessments, and an active control app, WebMD, which provides general health content. Both groups are instructed to use their assigned app four times a week, with orientation and booster sessions. Mindfulness Coach includes increasing training durations and mindfulness education, while the control offers general health information. Participants will be assessed for anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at 8 weeks and 6 months, along with perceived stress at 8 weeks. Researchers will monitor how acceptable and feasible the mindfulness app is for users and evaluate its preliminary effectiveness. The study involves randomized assignment to groups, double masking, and a focus on older adults and their caregivers who meet specific inclusion criteria related to anxiety levels and caregiving roles.

mHealth Mindfulness With Patients With Serious Illness and Their Caregivers