Behavioral Clinical Trials for Chronic Diseases: Scientific Foundations

Lynda H. Powell, Kenneth E. Freedland, Peter G. Kaufmann

Research output: Book/ReportBookpeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

This is the first comprehensive guide to the design of behavioral randomized clinical trials (RCT) for chronic diseases. It includes the scientific foundations for behavioral trial methods, problems that have been encountered in past behavioral trials, advances in design that have evolved, and promising trends and opportunities for the future. The value of this book lies in its potential to foster an ability to “speak the language of medicine” through the conduct of high-quality behavioral clinical trials that match the rigor commonly seen in double-blind drug trials. It is relevant for testing any treatment aimed at improving a behavioral, social, psychosocial, environmental, or policy-level risk factor for a chronic disease including, for example, obesity, sedentary behavior, adherence to treatment, psychosocial stress, food deserts, and fragmented care. Outcomes of interest are those that are of clinical significance in the treatment of chronic diseases, including standard risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose, and clinical outcomes such as hospitalizations, functional limitations, excess morbidity, quality of life, and mortality. This link between behavior and chronic disease requires innovative clinical trial methods not only from the behavioral sciences but also from medicine, epidemiology, and biostatistics. This integration does not exist in any current book, or in any training program, in either the behavioral sciences or medicine.

Original languageEnglish
PublisherSpringer International Publishing
Number of pages314
ISBN (Electronic)9783030393304
ISBN (Print)9783030393281
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2021

Keywords

  • Behavioral randomized clinical trials
  • Clinically significant behavioral health benefit
  • Clinically significant behavioral health problem
  • Practical aspects of behavioral clinical trial design
  • Principles of behavioral clinical trial design
  • Strategy of RCTs

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