NCT06973655 Trial of Social Work Services in Fracture Clinic Setting
| NCT ID | NCT06973655 |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Phase | — |
| Sponsor | Sheila Sprague |
| Condition | Orthopaedic Fractures |
| Study Type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Enrollment | 2,000 participants |
| Start Date | 2025-10-06 |
| Primary Completion | 2028-06 |
Eligibility & Interventions
Eligibility Fast-Check
Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.
What to Expect as a Participant
You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.
This trial targets 2,000 participants in total. It began in 2025-10-06 with a primary completion date of 2028-06.
⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.
Brief Summary
Every year, many Canadians sustain a fracture that requires surgical treatment and results in a long recovery period. During this recovery period, patients may experience new or worsening mental health issues including depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, patients may experience new or worsening social and financial problems, such as food and housing insecurity, due to being unable to work or take care of other daily responsibilities. Current care for fracture patients is focused on treating their physical injuries and overlooks these other challenges. To address this gap in care, the investigators propose having a social worker available in the fracture clinic to provide patients with support beyond the care of their physical injury. The investigators propose a trial of 2,000 patients to determine if social worker support improves recovery for patients after a serious fracture by reducing the number of times they return to the emergency room or urgent care centre. This trial will also determine if social work support improves patients' mental health, financial security, ability to work, and level of satisfaction with the care they receive, and whether it reduces the amount of opioid medication they use and number of missed visits during their recovery. Patients will be randomly assigned to receive either support from a social worker or usual care. For patients assigned to receive social worker support, the social worker will assess their individual needs and provide support, information, and referrals to social support services. The social worker will continue to support patients for up to one year after they join the trial. Patients will complete questionnaires at enrollment and at 6 weeks and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after enrollment. If this trial shows that support from a social worker in the fracture clinic during their recovery period is beneficial to patients who have experienced a serious fracture requiring surgery, it has the potential to change care for patients who experience these potentially life-changing injuries.
Eligibility Criteria
The inclusion criteria are: 1. Aged 18 or older. 2. Has fracture of the appendicular skeleton 3. Fracture required surgical management. 4. Fracture occurred within the past 12 weeks. 3\. Willing to comply with the protocol. 4. Willing to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Incarceration. 2. Expected injury survival of less than 6 months. 3. Terminal illness with expected survival of less than 6 months. 4. Currently enrolled in a trial that does not permit co-enrollment. 5. Unable to engage in protocol in the languages available in the local cluster. 6. Prior enrollment in the trial. 7. Declined to provide informed consent. 8. Not approached at (or prior to) the first post-surgery fracture clinic visit (missed participant). 9. Other reason to exclude the patient, as approved by the Methods Centre.
Contact & Investigator
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the NCT06973655 clinical trial?
This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, studying Orthopaedic Fractures. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.
Is NCT06973655 currently recruiting?
Yes, NCT06973655 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at mckayp@mcmaster.ca for enrollment information.
Where is the NCT06973655 trial being conducted?
This trial is being conducted at San Francisco, United States, Hamilton, Canada.
Who is sponsoring the NCT06973655 clinical trial?
NCT06973655 is sponsored by Sheila Sprague. The trial plans to enroll 2,000 participants.