Online program aims to ease the burden of chronic illness for veterans and their caregivers
NCT ID NCT06001541
First seen Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a web-based program called Web-SUCCEED that helps veterans with chronic illness and their informal caregivers work together to manage the condition. The program includes three weekly online modules and brief phone calls with staff, focusing on stress coping and communication. Researchers will measure whether it improves self-care, quality of life, and caregiver experience. The goal is to provide an accessible option for those who cannot easily attend in-person visits.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a web-based behavioral program called Web-SUCCEED that teaches stress coping and communication skills to improve chronic illness self-management
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this program could offer a scalable, accessible way for veterans with chronic illness and their caregivers to better manage symptoms and reduce stress.
- What could go wrong
- This is a behavioral intervention tested in a single study, so results may not apply to all populations or settings. Success depends on participant engagement and may not translate to measurable health improvements.
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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About 396 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2024
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: * Participants will be medically eligible if they have been diagnosed with at least one common chronic condition considered responsive to outpatient management as defined by being on the AHRQ list of Patient Quality Indicators, which are conditions that are considered responsive to high quality outpatient care. * The investigators will also include conditions that are disproportionately high among Veterans (pain, mental health conditions). * Based on the pilot study, the investigators anticipate this to include: * musculoskeletal pain * cardiovascular disease * diabetes * kidney disease * depression * Eligible participants will have at least one outpatient visit in the prior 12 months related to their diagnosis and have a primary caregiver who lives with the Veteran. Dyads will be excluded if either the Veterans or their caregiver: * 1\) have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator * 2\) are on hemodialysis * 3\) have received an organ transplant or are waitlisted for one * 4\) are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation for cancer * 5\) have limited life expectancy as determined by the provider or hospice care * 6\) have dementia or other major cognitive deficits * 7\) have a substance use disorder (SUD), since supporting interpersonal relationships in SUDs require specialized training that is outside the scope of web-SUCCEED * 8\) have a paid caregiver who provides 50% or more support to the Veteran * 9\) are actively psychotic or suicidal. Due to content overlap, the investigators will exclude Veterans who have participated in the Stanford CDSMP program, and caregivers who have participated in the Building Better Caregiver program Exclusion Criteria: Dyads deemed eligible with these criteria will be further screened by the study staff for internet use, self-management distress, and interpersonal violence. * a. Internet Use: The investigators will use the question that used in the pilot study, "How often do you use a computer?" The investigators will exclude dyads where either Veterans or caregivers answer "less than once a week." * b. Self-management Distress: The investigators will screen Veterans and caregivers for self-management distress using the same two-item measure that have been used for the pilot study of web-SUCCEED: * 1\) How overwhelmed do you feel by the demands of living with your \[OR Veteran's\] health condition(s)? * 2\) How often do you feel that you are failing in your routine to manage your \[OR Veteran's\] health conditions?" Respondents rate items from 1 (Not a problem) to 6 (A very serious problem), and scores are added. Dyads will be eligible if both individuals score a minimum of 2 and at least one scores \>3. * c. Interpersonal Violence: Veterans and caregivers will be separately screened with the question, "How do you and \[Veteran, caregiver\] handle stressful conversations or conflict?" If needed, this will be followed up with: "In the last year, has it gotten physical or have there been threats of physical force?". If the answer to the last question is "yes", dyads will not be eligible. Dr. Trivedi will assess for immediate safety, provide local resources, and involve authorities if appropriate. In the investigators' experience, this is a low likelihood event.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA
RECRUITINGPalo Alto, California, 94304-1207, United States
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