The effectiveness of an advocacy intervention for diverse women in midlife and older experiencing intimate partner violence: The AIM Study
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN30646991 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN30646991 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | 2223-HQ-000381 |
- Submission date
- 01/02/2023
- Registration date
- 07/02/2023
- Last edited
- 31/10/2024
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Ongoing
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
While our knowledge of intimate partner violence (IPV) among older versus younger women is far less complete, a mistaken assumption is that intimate partner violence ceases with age. Researchers have shown that up to 30% of older women report intimate partner violence at some time in their life. Still, it is generally recognized that, like other types or forms of abuse, IPV among older women is under-estimated. There is now a recognition that services need to be adapted to meet the needs of women in midlife and older. The goal of this study is to test the effectiveness of an AIM intervention "The Advocacy Intervention for women in Midlife and older” for women who are experiencing intimate partner violence
Who can participate?
The study will involve women, and people who identify as women in midlife and older, (i.e., approximately age 50 years and older), living in the Maritime provinces in Canada (i.e. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island), currently experiencing intimate partner violence, and who can participate in an interview in English or French.
What does the study involve?
Trained researchers will deliver the AIM intervention over a period of 13 weeks to the women in the study randomly assigned to the intervention group. The first part of the intervention will be a 1-hour individual one-on-one session that will be delivered virtually by telephone or video call. This session will focus on empowerment, and awareness raising about IPV, but also supports the women to develop changes in the future. The second part of the intervention is the social support component which involves tangible and perceived social support to contribute to health and well-being. This component consists of 12 scheduled weekly telephone or video calls of about 20 minutes each. These sessions are designed to provide encouragement and support and to answer questions the participant may have about utilizing or applying the resources provided in the empowerment component. Data will be collected from the women in the intervention group and the control group before the intervention begins, and again after 3 months and 9 months.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The women in the intervention group may receive benefits from participating to their physical and mental health, knowledge of intimate partner violence, and behaviours related to their abusive partner. This research will result in knowledge about the adaptation and testing of a program to support and empower women in midlife and older who have experienced intimate partner violence. For participants living in the home with a perpetrator, the participant may be at risk if the perpetrator finds out they are participating in the study. We will incorporate many strategies to protect the participants into this study including utilizing only virtual participation in the intervention and virtual data collection.
Where is the study run?
The study is being run from the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research at the University of New Brunswick (Canada)
When is the study starting and how long is expected to run for?
January 2023 to February 2026
Who is funding the study:
The Public Health Agency of Canada
Who is the main contact?
Professor Lori E. Weeks, lori.weeks@dal.ca
Contact information
Principal Investigator
School of Nursing
Dalhousie University
5869 University Avenue
PO Box 15000
Halifax
B3H 4R2
Canada
 ORCID ID |
0000-0001-5334-3320 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +19024947114 |
| lori.weeks@dal.ca |
Study information
| Study design | Single-centre interventional randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | Community |
| Study type | Prevention |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet. |
| Scientific title | The AIM Study: The impact of an Advocacy Intervention for diverse women in Midlife and older experiencing intimate partner violence on knowledge about intimate partner violence and physical and mental health |
| Study acronym | AIM |
| Study hypothesis | The AIM intervention will improve physical and mental health and increase knowledge about intimate partner violence and safety strategies. |
| Ethics approval(s) | 1. Approved 11/07/2023, Dalhousie University Health Sciences Research Ethics Board (Research Ethics, Office of Research Services, P.O Box 15000 Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada; +1 (0)902 494 3423; ethics@dal.ca), ref: REB # 2023-6548 2. Approved 16/08/2023, St Francies Xavier University Research Ethics Board (Research Ethics Board, 114J Annex 2323 Notre Dame Avenue Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada; +1 (0)902 867 5387; clomore@stfx.ca), ref: File # 26598 3. Approved 06/09/2023, Le Comité d'éthique de la recherche avec des êtres humains (CER) de l’Université de Moncton (cer@umoncton.ca), ref: CER # 2324-005 4. Approved 26/09/2023, University of New Brunswick Research Ethics Board (Office of Research Services, Sir Howard Douglas Hall, room 215; 3 Bailey Drive, PO Box 4400, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada; +1 (0)506 453 4674; ethics@unb.ca), ref: REB # 2023-110 5. Approved 06/10/2023, University of Prince Edward Island Research Ethics Board (Research Services, 200 Kelley Memorial Building, 550 University Ave, Charlottetown PE C1A 4P3, Canada; +1 (0)902 620 5104; scpalmer@upei.ca), ref: REB # 6012156 |
| Condition | Women in midlife and older who experience intimate partner violence |
| Intervention | After the collection of baseline data, the participants will be randomized into either the intervention group or control group by sealed envelope. The control group will receive usual care. Trained researchers will deliver the AIM intervention over a period of 13 weeks. The first part of the intervention focuses on empowerment and involves an approximately 1-hour individual one-on-one session that will be delivered virtually by telephone or video call. This will include topics such as: recognizing increased danger and using an individualized safety plan adapted for older women; providing information about cycles of violence; community and legal resources; and developing goals and strategies for the future. In addition to discussing this information, print materials will be provided electronically or in hard copy. Thus, this component focuses on awareness raising about IPV, but also supports the women to develop changes in the future. The second part of the intervention is the social support component that involves tangible and perceived social support to contribute to health and well-being. This component consists of 12 scheduled weekly telephone or video calls at a time convenient to the participant. The length of time can vary, but we anticipate this average approximately 20 minutes. These sessions are designed to provide encouragement and support and to answer questions the participant may have about utilizing or applying the resources provided in the empowerment component. These sessions are very individualized and based on the needs raised and questions that the woman wishes to discuss. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | 1. Physical and mental health is measured at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months using: 1.1. Short Form Health Survey 1.2. Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale 1.3. Interpersonal Support Evaluation List 2. Knowledge about intimate partner violence and safety strategies is measured at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months using: 2.1. Women's Experiences of Battering Scale 2.2. Decisional Conflict Scale 2.3. Intimate Partner Violence Strategies Index |
| Secondary outcome measures | There are no secondary outcome measures |
| Overall study start date | 04/01/2023 |
| Overall study end date | 01/02/2026 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 45 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Target number of participants | 60 |
| Participant inclusion criteria | 1. Women, and people who identify as women 2. Are in midlife and older, approximately age 50 years and older 3. Live in the Maritime provinces in Canada (i.e. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island) 4. Currently experiencing intimate partner violence 5. Can participate in an interview in English or French |
| Participant exclusion criteria | Does not meet inclusion criteria |
| Recruitment start date | 01/09/2023 |
| Recruitment end date | 31/01/2025 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Canada
Study participating centre
Fredericton
E3B 4G3
Canada
Sponsor information
University/education
School of Nursing
5869 University Avenue
PO Box 15000
Halifax
B3H 4R2
Canada
| Phone | +1 9024947114 |
|---|---|
| Ruth.Martin-Misener@Dal.Ca | |
| Website | http://dal.ca |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/01e6qks80 |
University/education
678 Windsor Street
Fredericton
E3B 4G3
Canada
| Phone | +1 506-453-3595 |
|---|---|
| cathy.holtmann@unb.ca | |
| Website | http://www.unb.ca/mmfc/contact.html |
Funders
Funder type
Government
Government organisation / National government
- Alternative name(s)
- Agence de la Santé Publique du Canada, L'Agence de la santé publique du Canada, PHAC, ASPC
- Location
- Canada
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | 31/12/2025 |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| Publication and dissemination plan | We will share our findings with academic audiences (e.g., high-impact peer-reviewed journal, academic conference presentation). We will also prepare a plain language research summary, brief video, and infographic that will be disseminated through the networks of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Center for Family Violence Research and research team members and to the media. |
| IPD sharing plan | The data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protocol article | 30/10/2024 | 31/10/2024 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
31/10/2024: Publication reference added.
12/09/2024: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The recruitment end date was changed from 01/09/2024 to 31/01/2025.
2. The intention to publish date was changed from 01/02/2025 to 31/12/2025.
11/04/2024: Ethics approval details added.
10/04/2024: The following changes were made to the study record:
1. The recruitment end date was changed from 01/04/2024 to 01/09/2024.
2. The overall study end date was changed from 20/12/2024 to 01/02/2026.
3. The intention to publish date was changed from 01/12/2024 to 01/02/2025.
08/02/2023: Internal review.
03/02/2023: Trial's existence confirmed by Public Health Agency of Canada.
