Skip to main content
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
  • Blog
  • Newsroom
  • Help Center
  • Subscribe
  • Careers
  • Contact

PCORI

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Search form

  • About Us
    Close mega-menu

    About Us

    • Our Programs
    • Governance
    • Financials and Reports
    • Procurement Opportunities
    • Our Staff
    • Contact Us

    Subscribe to PCORI Email Alerts

    Sign up for weekly emails to stay current on the latest results of our funded projects, and more.

    Learn More About PCORI

    Download fact sheets about our work, the research we fund, and our programs and initiatives.

    Join Us! Work at PCORI

    View our current openings, benefits and apply online. Featured Opening: Program Officer

  • Research & Results
    Close mega-menu

    Research & Results

    • Explore Our Portfolio
    • Research Results Highlights
    • PCORI in the Literature
    • Putting Evidence to Work
    • Peer Review
    • Evidence Synthesis
    • About Our Research

    Highlights of PCORI-Funded Research Results

    Read about results that are being published in leading medical journals and presented at major scientific meetings.

    CE/CME Activities: Treatment Options After a Stroke

    Find out how to apply research findings to help patients with atrial fibrillation make informed decisions about treatments following an ischemic stroke.

    Explore Our Portfolio of Funded Projects

    Find out about projects based on the health conditions they focus on, the state they are in, and if they have results.

  • Topics
    Close mega-menu

    Topics

    • Addressing Disparities
    • Cancer
    • Cardiovascular Disease
    • Community Health Workers
    • Dementia and Cognitive Impairment
    • Diabetes
    • Kidney Disease
    • Mental and Behavioral Health
    • Multiple Chronic Conditions
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Obesity
    • Older Adults' Health
    • Pain Care and Opioids
    • Rare Diseases
    • Shared Decision Making
    • Telehealth
    • Transitional Care

    Featured Topic: Multiple Chronic Conditions

    A PCORI-funded study shows that a family-centered communication program in pediatric departments directly improves hospital safety.

  • Engagement
    Close mega-menu

    Engagement

    • The Value of Engagement
    • Engagement in Health Research Literature Explorer
    • Influencing the Culture of Research
    • Engagement Awards
    • Engagement Resources
    • Engage with Us

    Older Adults Advise Researchers

    An Engagement Award brings together researchers and older adults living at home and in skilled nursing facilities to improve older adults' care.

    Explore Engagement in Health Literature

    PCORI has developed a new tool that enables searching for published articles about engagement in health research.

    Using the PCORI Engagement Rubric

    It provides general guidance and suggestions for engagement compliance and engagement strategies in the research process.

  • Funding Opportunities
    Close mega-menu

    Funding Opportunities

    • What & Who We Fund
    • What You Need to Know to Apply
    • Applicant Training
    • Merit Review Process
    • Awardee Resources
    • Help Center

    PCORI Funding Announcements

    Learn about open and upcoming funding announcements and how to apply.

    Tips for Submitting a Responsive LOI

    Find out what PCORI looks for in a letter of intent (LOI) along with other helpful tips.

    Do You Have Questions?

    PCORI's Help Center includes an FAQ section for answers to applicant, awardee and reviewer questions.

  • Meetings & Events
    Close mega-menu

    Meetings & Events

    • Upcoming
    • Past Events

    Watch Our Facebook Live Discussion

    We discussed how telehealth might help improve the outcomes for patients living with serious mental illness.

    Hear from PCORI Staff

    Invite a PCORI staffer to talk about our work and see a schedule of our staffers' speaking engagements.

    From Evidence to Impact: Putting What Works into Action

    Watch archived recordings of our 2018 Annual Meeting's keynotes, plenaries and breakout sessions.

You are here

  • Research & Results
  • Explore Our Portfolio
  • Comparing Three Ways to Help People w...
Sign Up for Updates to This Study 

Comparing Three Ways to Help People with Mood Disorders and Heart Disease Risk Increase Their Physical Activity

Project Summary  

This research project is in progress. PCORI will post the research findings on this page within 90 days after the results are final.

What is the research about?

Mood disorders are mental health conditions that can make it hard to function in daily life. People with mood disorders like depression are at increased risk for other health problems. For example, people with depression are twice as likely to have a heart attack and four times more likely to die from heart disease than people who do not have depression. Exercise can improve symptoms of depression, such as fatigue, and can prevent heart disease. However, it is especially hard for people with mood disorders to find the desire and energy to exercise.

In this study, the research team is comparing three ways to encourage exercise among people with mood disorders who have or who are at risk for heart disease. The first way is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, which helps people change patterns of thinking that may make their conditions worse. The second way is mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or MCBT, which helps people accept their feelings and be aware of the present moment. The research team is looking to see if online CBT and MCBT programs can help people with mood disorders exercise more compared with the third way, which is regular care.

Who can this research help?

Findings from this study can help doctors decide whether to offer online CBT or MCBT to patients with mood disorders who have or who are at risk for heart disease to help them exercise more.

What is the research team doing?

Using the MoodNetwork and Health eHeart online networks, the research team is recruiting 500 people with mood disorders who have or who are at risk for heart disease. All study participants are receiving a Fitbit™ activity tracker, which tracks how many steps the wearer takes each day.

The research team is assigning participants by chance to receive CBT, MCBT, or Fitbit only. The CBT and MCBT programs are online and last 12 weeks. The goal of both programs is to increase the number of steps people take each day. The team wants to learn how effective these methods are at increasing exercise for different groups of people.

Patients with mood disorders from MoodNetwork and patients with or at risk for heart disease from Health eHeart are helping to tailor the online programs. Patients are also sharing their stories and are helping to recruit people for the study.

Research methods at a glance

Design Elements Description
Design Randomized controlled trial
Population English-speaking individuals over 18 years of age who self-identify as having a mood disorder and who have or are at risk for heart disease
Interventions/
Comparators
  • Fitbit plus online CBT
  • Fitbit plus online MCBT
  • Fitbit only
Outcomes

Primary: daily steps

Secondary: depressive symptoms, wellness

Timeframe 3-month follow-up for primary outcome

Project Details

Principal Investigator
Andrew A. Nierenberg, MD
Project Status
In progress; Not yet recruiting
Project Title
Healthy Hearts Healthy Minds: A PPRN Demonstration Pragmatic Trial
Board Approval Date
March 2016
Project End Date
July 2020
Organization
Massachusetts General Hospital
Year Awarded
2016
State
Massachusetts
Project Type
Research Project
Funding Announcement
Patient-Powered Research Networks (PPRN) Research Demonstration Projects
Conditions 
Mental/Behavioral Health
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Cardiovascular Diseases
Coronary or Ischemic Heart Disease
Project Budget
$2,522,180
Study Registration Information
HSRP20163169
Page Last Updated: 
May 30, 2018

Research & Results

  • Explore Our Portfolio
  • Research Results Highlights
  • PCORI in the Literature
  • Putting Evidence to Work
  • Peer Review
  • Evidence Synthesis
  • About Our Research

About Us

  • Our Programs
  • Governance
  • Financials and Reports
  • Procurement Opportunities
  • Our Staff
  • Contact Us

Research & Results

  • Explore Our Portfolio
  • Research Results Highlights
  • PCORI in the Literature
  • Putting Evidence to Work
  • Peer Review
  • Evidence Synthesis
  • About Our Research

Engagement

  • The Value of Engagement
  • Engagement in Health Research Literature Explorer
  • Influencing the Culture of Research
  • Engagement Awards
  • Engagement Resources
  • Engage with Us

Funding Opportunities

  • What & Who We Fund
  • What You Need to Know to Apply
  • Applicant Training
  • Merit Review Process
  • Awardee Resources
  • Help Center

Meetings & Events

February 26
Board of Governors Meeting: February 26, 2019
March 19
Board of Governors Meeting: March 19, 2019
April 16
Board of Governors Meeting: April 16, 2019

PCORI

Footer contact address

Patient-Centered Outcomes
Research Institute

1828 L Street, NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 827-7700 | Fax: (202) 355-9558
info@pcori.org

Subscribe to Newsletter

Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Vimeo

© 2011-2019 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Trademark Usage Guidelines | Credits | Help Center