Homeless PersonsNCT00281398
Attitudes of Medical Trainees Towards Homeless Persons Presenting for Care in the Emergency Department
A study testing Questionnaire in people with Homeless Persons and Emergency Medical Services, run by Unity Health Toronto at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
Homelessness is a significant problem in Canada, and many homeless people will seek routine care in the Emergency Department (ED) as a result of barriers to access. There is a paucity of information in the literature concerning the attitudes of health care workers towards homeless patients in the ED setting, although… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 25 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Homeless Persons, Emergency Medical Services
- What is being tested?
- Questionnaire
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- Aug 2005to Dec 2007
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 25 to 45 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- All undergraduate and postgraduate students will be eligible to participate. In the second year of the study, attitudes will be surveyed before and after completion of the clinical rotation and didactic training.
Who cannot join
None listed.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Homelessness is a significant problem in Canada, and many homeless people will seek routine care in the Emergency Department (ED) as a result of barriers to access. There is a paucity of information in the literature concerning the attitudes of health care workers towards homeless patients in the ED setting, although there is ample reason to believe that these attitudes may be suboptimal. In the absence of formal teaching regarding issues of homelessness, medical students have been shown to develop increasingly negative attitudes towards this vulnerable population. It is therefore important to better delineate the attitudes of ED physicians towards homeless persons and to develop an emergency medicine curriculum that helps sensitize physicians to the needs of this already disadvantaged population.
Read the detailed description
Homelessness increased dramatically in the 1990s and has become a significant problem for Canadian cities. The homeless are at increased risk for both traumatic injuries and serious health problems. Because of significant barriers to access to care, a large proportion of homeless persons will present to the Emergency Department (ED) for acute and routine care. When homeless individuals were asked what was the most difficult aspect of being homeless, negative reactions by shelter workers and health care providers were included as major themes. Despite the recognition that many homeless people are treated in the ED, there is little information regarding the attitudes of ED staff and medical trainees towards these patients and their care. Furthermore, there are no North American curriculum requirements for emergency medicine trainees regarding homelessness or urban health. In the medical setting, exposure alone to homeless patients may negatively impact the attitudes of trainees. We propose to study the attitudes towards homelessness of medical trainees before and after emergency department rotations at an inner city hospital and to define whether implementation of a curriculum on homelessness has a positive impact on attitudes.
This study will be completed over a two year period. During the first year of the study we will survey trainees' attitudes before and after clinical emergency department rotations. We propose to survey the attitudes of medical trainees using the validated questionnaire, the Attitudes Towards Homelessness Inventory (ATHI). A homeless curriculum will be developed using feedback from house staff, health care providers, community partners, and agencies. All undergraduate and postgraduate students will be eligible to participate. In the second year of the study, attitudes will be surveyed before and after completion of the clinical rotation and didactic training.
The primary outcome of interest is to compare the overall ATHI rating of students who are not exposed to the curriculum to those who are exposed. Secondary outcome measures include comparisons of pre and post rotation scores for each trainee. Subgroups will be analyzed according to training program, time of ED rotation, and prior workplace exposure to homeless persons.
- Conditions
- Homeless Persons, Emergency Medical Services
- Being tested
- Questionnaire
- Keywords
- homelessness, Attitudes of medical trainees towards the homeless
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
QuestionnaireBehavioural
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The main outcome measure is the difference in change in the mean score in those who have participated in the curriculum compared with those who have not during the 2nd year of the study.
Objective 1: To describe the attitudes of medical trainees towards the homeless population before and after completion of an emergency medicine rotation at St. Michael's Hospital
Objective 2: To define, develop, and implement a core curriculum in care of the homeless patient for emergency medicine rotations in Canada
Objective 3: To determine the effect of curriculum implementation on the attitudes of trainees towards homeless patients in the Emergency Department
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Jan 2006 (estimated)
- Study startAug 2005
- Primary completionDec 2007
- Study completionDec 2007
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Homeless PersonsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Unity Health TorontoThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Single blind
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Unity Health Toronto
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Julia Spence, MD, FRCPC, Principal investigator, Unity Health Toronto
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00281398
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 05-31
- Status last verified
- Jun 2008
- First submitted
- 18 Jan 2006
- Last updated
- 20 Jun 2013
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Jun 2013. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Attitudes of Medical Trainees Towards Homeless Persons Presenting for Care in the Emergency Department
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00281398
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 05-31
- Conditions
- Homeless Persons, Emergency Medical Services
- Keywords
- homelessness, Attitudes of medical trainees towards the homeless
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Unity Health TorontoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation
- Study start
- Aug 2005
- Primary completion
- Dec 2007 (actual)
- Study completion
- Dec 2007 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Jan 2006 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Homelessness is a significant problem in Canada, and many homeless people will seek routine care in the Emergency Department (ED) as a result of barriers to access. There is a paucity of information in the literature concerning the attitudes of health care workers towards homeless patients in the ED setting, although there is ample reason to believe that these attitudes may be suboptimal. In the absence of formal teaching regarding issues of homelessness, medical students have been shown to develop increasingly negative attitudes towards this vulnerable population. It is therefore important to better delineate the attitudes of ED physicians towards homeless persons and to develop an emergency medicine curriculum that helps sensitize physicians to the needs of this already disadvantaged population.
Detailed description
Homelessness increased dramatically in the 1990s and has become a significant problem for Canadian cities. The homeless are at increased risk for both traumatic injuries and serious health problems. Because of significant barriers to access to care, a large proportion of homeless persons will present to the Emergency Department (ED) for acute and routine care. When homeless individuals were asked what was the most difficult aspect of being homeless, negative reactions by shelter workers and health care providers were included as major themes. Despite the recognition that many homeless people are treated in the ED, there is little information regarding the attitudes of ED staff and medical trainees towards these patients and their care. Furthermore, there are no North American curriculum requirements for emergency medicine trainees regarding homelessness or urban health. In the medical setting, exposure alone to homeless patients may negatively impact the attitudes of trainees. We propose to study the attitudes towards homelessness of medical trainees before and after emergency department rotations at an inner city hospital and to define whether implementation of a curriculum on homelessness has a positive impact on attitudes.
This study will be completed over a two year period. During the first year of the study we will survey trainees' attitudes before and after clinical emergency department rotations. We propose to survey the attitudes of medical trainees using the validated questionnaire, the Attitudes Towards Homelessness Inventory (ATHI). A homeless curriculum will be developed using feedback from house staff, health care providers, community partners, and agencies. All undergraduate and postgraduate students will be eligible to participate. In the second year of the study, attitudes will be surveyed before and after completion of the clinical rotation and didactic training.
The primary outcome of interest is to compare the overall ATHI rating of students who are not exposed to the curriculum to those who are exposed. Secondary outcome measures include comparisons of pre and post rotation scores for each trainee. Subgroups will be analyzed according to training program, time of ED rotation, and prior workplace exposure to homeless persons.
Study design
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- Single blind
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 25 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- All undergraduate and postgraduate students will be eligible to participate. In the second year of the study, attitudes will be surveyed before and after completion of the clinical rotation and didactic training.
Key exclusion criteria (0 listed)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Questionnaire | Behavioural | – |
Primary outcome
The main outcome measure is the difference in change in the mean score in those who have participated in the curriculum compared with those who have not during the 2nd year of the study.
Objective 1: To describe the attitudes of medical trainees towards the homeless population before and after completion of an emergency medicine rotation at St. Michael's Hospital
Objective 2: To define, develop, and implement a core curriculum in care of the homeless patient for emergency medicine rotations in Canada
Objective 3: To determine the effect of curriculum implementation on the attitudes of trainees towards homeless patients in the Emergency Department
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Jun 2013.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Julia Spence, MD, FRCPC principal investigator
Unity Health Toronto
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Questionnaire in people with Homeless Persons and Emergency Medical Services, run by Unity Health Toronto at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 0 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Jun 2013. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
The main outcome measure is the difference in change in the mean score in those who have participated in the curriculum compared with those who have not during the 2nd year of the study.. The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 20 Jun 2013; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.