CAMH Randomized Controlled Trial for Young Adults Significantly Reduces Depression and Anxiety with NexJ Connected Wellness

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NexJ Health Inc. (NexJ Health), a provider of advanced virtual care solutions for chronic disease prevention and management, is pleased to announce the encouraging results of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) using NexJ Connected Wellness.

The study evaluated online mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-M) for young adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). The intervention demonstrated large improvements, especially in severely depressed participants. Altogether, there was a 60% remission rate in individuals who received the intervention. Of the participants diagnosed as severely depressed at the start, 50%, were no longer depressed at final measurement. There was a 55% decrease in self-reported depression and a 47% reduction in anxiety.

The online CBT-M study was funded by the Federal Development Agency of Southern Ontario, in a collaboration between NexJ Health, York University and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Canada.

NexJ Connected Wellness, an artificial intelligence-based virtual care platform, provided intervention participants with access to online CBT-M workbooks, steps and heart rate tracking, and a personal health coach. Health coaching interactions were delivered via telephone, secure messaging and by tracking and monitoring health behaviours (steps and meals) through NexJ Connected Wellness. A key factor was the establishment of a multi-channel therapeutic alliance between the participant and their health coach.

“The results from this clinical trial confirm that depression treatment can be significantly improved with online mindfulness-based CBT while geographic restrictions are overcome,” said Dr. Paul Ritvo, Principal Investigator and Professor at York University. “The study showed online CBT is highly effective with individuals who are severely depressed, a finding not as clearly evident in previous online studies.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected many people’s mental health. Young adults have felt various pandemic-related consequences, such as loss of income and universities’ closure, that may have led to an increase in mental health issues. Youthful online engagement makes online intervention delivery appealing, particularly with likely reductions in costs, geographic barriers, and other access inequities.

“NexJ Health recognizes the need to develop and test effective programs to improve the health and wellness of the growing population struggling with mental health,” said Dr. Noah Wayne, Vice President of Clinical Programs at NexJ Health. “This trial provides strong evidence that virtual interventions offer improved reach and outcomes for people struggling with depression and anxiety. NexJ Health’s coaching model uses a polychronic, person-centred approach that assesses all domains of a person’s health and wellness and delivers a person-centred solution for each as to their needs.”

NexJ Health’s CBT-M program, delivered through NexJ Connected Wellness, can be easily adapted to multiple populations. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) recently implemented this program to provide personal health coaching to active service members with depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD at CAF mental health clinics.

Citation:

Ritvo, P., Knyahnytska, Y., Pirbaglou, M., Wang, W., Tomlinson, G., Zhao, H., Linklater, R., Bai, S., Kirk, M., Katz, J., Harber, L., & Daskalakis, Z. (2021). Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Youth With Major Depressive Disorders: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(3), e24380. https://doi.org/10.2196/24380

About NexJ Health Inc.

NexJ Health Inc. is a provider of patient-facing population health management solutions that deliver patient engagement for chronic disease prevention and management. At NexJ Health, we believe that the most efficient and cost-effective way to offset the rise in chronic disease is to empower patients, with the support of their families, friends, and healthcare professionals, to actively participate in managing their own chronic condition(s). By engaging patients through NexJ Connected Wellness, we help to achieve healthcare’s quintuple aim: improve the patient experience, improve population health, lower the per capita cost of care, increase provider satisfaction, and deliver business efficiency. For more information about NexJ Health visit www.nexjhealth.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 416-227-3700.

About CAMH

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres in its field. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. With a dedicated staff of more than 3,000 physicians, clinicians, researchers, educators and support staff, CAMH offers outstanding clinical care to more than 34,000 patients each year. The organization conducts groundbreaking research, provides expert training to health care professionals and scientists, develops innovative health promotion and prevention strategies, and advocates on public policy issues at all levels of government. And through our Foundation, we’re working to raise tens of millions of additional dollars to fund new programs and research and augment services.

Contacts

Media:
Racquel Muir

NexJ Health

(416) 227-3700

[email protected]