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Multimodal Intervention to Support Hospital-to-Community Transition in Bipolar Disorder
Sponsor: McMaster University
Summary
People with bipolar disorder (BD) are at high risk of relapse following hospital discharge, partly due to a lack of BD-specific expertise and resources within community services required for comprehensive treatment. Although clinical guidelines recommend combining medication and psychosocial support, and research shows that early intervention is associated with improved outcomes, no structured care programs currently exist for individuals in the early stages of BD, contributing to chronic illness progression and preventable hospitalizations. This open-label pilot trial will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a structured care pathway to support the transition from hospital to community care. The intervention includes group-based psychoeducation, individual peer support, and personalized support for community healthcare providers to improve illness insight, treatment adherence, and symptom management.
Official title: A Bridge to Better Days: A Pilot Study of a Multimodal Intervention to Support the Successful Transition From Hospital to Community Care for People Living With Bipolar Disorder
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 35 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
10
Start Date
2026-06-01
Completion Date
2027-05-01
Last Updated
2026-01-14
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Group-Based Psychoeducation
Participants attend a six-session, group-based psychoeducation program delivered over 8 weeks. Sessions focus on improving insight into bipolar disorder, relapse prevention, lifestyle strategies (e.g., sleep, nutrition, substance use), and digital literacy. The aim is to enhance understanding of illness and support long-term functioning.
Peer Support
Trained peer support workers provide biweekly sessions over 6 months to participants. The sessions are based on the CANMAT/ISBD Patient and Family Guide and include emotional support, psychoeducation, and shared experience. Each participant receives up to 12 sessions aimed at improving engagement and understanding of illness.
Personalized Support for Community Healthcare Provider
The research team provides two personalized support sessions over 6 months to each participant's healthcare provider (e.g., family doctor or psychiatrist). Support includes treatment recommendations based on the CANMAT/ISBD 2018 Guidelines and training on the C-IMPACT BD web-based clinical decision support tool.
Locations (1)
St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada