Exercise Training to Improve PTSD Symptoms and Health in Older Veterans

Part of paid clinical trials in Durham, North Carolina.

Sponsor
VA Office of Research and Development
Study ID
NCT04199182
Status
Completed

Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
65 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Exercise Training — BEHAVIORAL
    A multi-component group exercise intervention that emphasizes functional training. Duration is 6 months, and frequency is 3x per week.
  • Healthy Aging Attention Control (HA-ATC) — OTHER
    Participants in the HA-ATC group will receive a health education program modeled on the "10 Keys to Healthy Aging" curriculum and the National Council on Aging's "Aging Mastery Program." HA-ATC will include an 8-week face-to-face group program followed by bi-weekly sessions for the remaining 4 months.

Study Details

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is prevalent among military Veterans and is more than just a psychological condition; PTSD has profound negative impacts on health, function, and quality of life. Older Veterans are the largest patient population served by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and many have lived with PTSD for 40+ years. Veterans with PTSD engage in low levels of physical activity and spend much of their time in sedentary activities, adding to their risk of physical disability. The benefits of exercise on mental health and physical well-being in older adults are well-substantiated, but the effects of exercise training on late-life PTSD symptoms is a new area of study. This study is designed to examine the effects of 6 months of supervised exercise training on PTSD symptoms and PTSD-related conditions (e.g., functional impairment, sleep) in 188 older Veterans with PTSD.

Key Dates

Start date
Jun 7, 2021
Status verified
Mar 2026
Primary completion
Feb 10, 2025
Completion
Feb 28, 2025

Study Design

Enrollment
80 participants (actual)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Exercise
    Progressive, multi-component supervised exercise training group.
  • Active Comparator: Healthy Aging Attention Control
    A health education program that addresses topics relevant to older adults.

Primary Outcome Measure

Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-V (CAPS-5) Change Baseline to 6 Months [ Time Frame: 6 months ]

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NCDurhamNorth Carolina27705-3875-

Find similar trials in Durham, NC

By condition
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
By specialty
PsychiatryMental healthBehavioral health
By research site
Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC· Durham, NC

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