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Effects of a Volunteer-based Lunch Program on Feelings of Loneliness in Elders
NCT03552328 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Background: There is a need for stronger community involvement with the elderly, specifically those with feelings of loneliness. Large proportions of elders in previous studies reported feelings of loneliness, and loneliness at advanced ages is a growing trend seen within the last thirty years despite advances in technology and social media. We propose a randomized control trial to determine the effectiveness of a volunteer-based lunch program on decreasing feelings of loneliness in elderly participants. Methods: Lonely elders in the community will be identified and matched with a trained medical student. Each student will bring provided lunches once a week to their elder participant's residence, and they will share lunch together for an hour once a week for six weeks. Enrollees are eligible for the study if they are over 60 years of age, speak English, have feelings of loneliness on the three-item scale, and display no cognitive impairment. The participants will be assessed pre and post intervention using the R-UCLA scale for loneliness, PHQ-9 for depressive symptoms, and GAD-7 for feelings of anxiety. Participant satisfaction will be assessed using Likert items as well as open-ended questions. Intervention group responses will be compared to responses of participants that did not receive the lunch meeting intervention. Discussion: Success of such a companion lunch program would provide an effective route to combat loneliness in the elderly.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- OTHER Control
- OTHER Lunch with Medical Student
Study Locations (1)
Florida
- Morsani College of Medicine — Tampa
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 16 participants |
| Start Date | 2018-10-15 |
| Est. Completion | 2019-05-15 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT03552328
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03552328 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 16 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is University of South Florida, which has 144 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 4 conditions, with Depression appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Control is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT03552328 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Florida. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT03552328 about?
NCT03552328 is a clinical study titled "Effects of a Volunteer-based Lunch Program on Feelings of Loneliness in Elders". Background: There is a need for stronger community involvement with the elderly, specifically those with feelings of loneliness. Large proportions of elders in previous studies reported feelings of loneliness, and loneliness at advanced ages is a growing trend seen within the last thirty years despi...
What is the current status of trial NCT03552328?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 16 participants. The study started on 2018-10-15. Estimated completion is 2019-05-15.
What conditions does trial NCT03552328 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Depression, Anxiety, Loneliness, Aged. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03552328?
The interventions under investigation include: Control (OTHER), Lunch with Medical Student (OTHER). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03552328?
This trial is sponsored by University of South Florida, which has 144 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT03552328 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Florida. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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