Can health coaching help veterans? new study tests feasibility
NCT ID NCT06711172
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at whether a VA Whole Health coaching program is feasible and acceptable for veterans dealing with complex health concerns. Fifty veterans received up to 17 telehealth coaching sessions over several months, focusing on lifestyle changes. Researchers measured how many veterans signed up, stuck with the program, and completed sessions, as well as any safety issues. The goal was to see if this approach is practical before testing it on a larger scale.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- VA Whole Health coaching (telehealth sessions focused on lifestyle changes)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that health coaching is a practical way to help veterans improve their well-being and adopt healthier habits.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early feasibility study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to all veterans. It does not test whether coaching actually improves health outcomes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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50 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2021
- Finished
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Nov 2025
- Lead sponsor
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A government agency
The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: •Veterans receiving a clinical evaluation at the War Related Illness and Injury Study Centers in Washington, DC or Palo Alto, California. Exclusion Criteria: * Current active suicidal or homicidal ideation * Current or lifetime history of a psychiatric disorder with primary psychotic features * Current or lifetime bipolar disorder * Acute or unstable psychiatric condition(s) and/or chronic illnesses that would benefit from immediate referral for treatment * Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, advanced Parkinson's disease, and unstable epilepsy * Pregnancy * Current exposure to trauma, or exposure to trauma in the past 3 months * Current or within the past 30 days substance abuse or dependence (except nicotine) * Excessive alcohol intake defined as an AUDIT score ≥ 4 for men and an AUDIT score ≥ 3 for women.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Washington, DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20422, United States