Trial reportPloS one2020
The Community Navigator Study: Results from a feasibility randomised controlled trial of a programme to reduce loneliness for people with complex anxiety or depression.
Trial report in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07123064 (Alleviating Loneliness in Older Adults Living in Poverty), which is not on this map. Cited by 28 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Alleviating Loneliness in Older Adults Living in Poverty: A Multi-level Intervention
Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Longitudinal associations between loneliness and outcomes of Common Mental Disorders (CMDs): A systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Risk factors associated with drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) compared with non-DFSA - a systematic review.Forensic science, medicine, and pathology · 2025Pooled it
- The prevalence and severity of loneliness and deficits in perceived social support among who have received a 'personality disorder' diagnosis or have relevant traits: a systematic review.BMC psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- What Works to Improve Wellbeing? A Rapid Systematic Review of 223 Interventions Evaluated with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scales.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Interventions to improve social connections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2022Pooled it
- Behavioural activation to prevent depression and loneliness among socially isolated older people with long-term conditions: The BASIL COVID-19 pilot randomised controlled trial.PLoS medicine · 2021Trial
- Trial
- Is social support pre-treatment associated with prognosis for adults with depression in primary care?Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica · 2021Trial
- Effects of social support interventions on social, physical and mental health outcomes: a scoping review.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Conceptualisation and operationalisation of social support in health interventions: a scoping review.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- The Cerebral Palsy Link Worker (CP LINK) study: Protocol for a feasibility study with integrated process evaluation.PloS one · 2026Article
- Effectiveness and value of relationships in link worker social prescribing over an 18-month follow up period.BMC primary care · 2025Article
- A social prescribing model for tackling the health and social inequalities of people living with severe mental illness: a protocol paper.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Guidelines for evaluating and reporting social isolation and loneliness interventions.Journal of health psychology · 2025Article
- Barriers and facilitators to social inclusion among people with severe mental illness: A qualitative study.PLOS mental health · 2025Article
- A Thematic Synthesis of the Experiences of Social Prescribing Among Patients in the UK.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2024Article
- Addressing the mental health needs of older adult refugees: Perspectives of multi-sector community key informants.SSM. Qualitative research in health · 2023Article
- Participation in leisure activities and quality of life of people with psychosis in England: a multi-site cross-sectional study.Annals of general psychiatry · 2023Article
- Exploring the experiences of loneliness in adults with mental health problems: A participatory qualitative interview study.PloS one · 2023Article
- Impact of work arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in France.SSM - population health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
17 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLoneliness is common among people with mental health problems and predicts poorer recovery from depression and anxiety. Needs for support with loneliness and social relationships are often under-addressed in mental health services. The Community Navigator programme was designed to reduce loneliness for adults (aged 18 and above) with complex depression or anxiety who were using secondary mental health services. Acceptability and feasibility of the programme and a trial evaluation were tested in a feasibility randomised controlled trial with qualitative evaluation.
methodsForty participants with depression or anxiety using secondary mental health services were recruited from mental health services in two London sites and randomised to receive: the Community Navigator programme over six months in addition to routine care (n = 30); or routine care (n = 10). Measures of loneliness, depression, other clinical and social outcomes and service use were collected at baseline and six-months follow-up. Levels of engagement in the programme and rates of trial recruitment and retention were assessed. Programme delivery was assessed through session logs completed by Community Navigators. The acceptability of the programme was explored through qualitative interviews (n = 32) with intervention group participants, their family and friends, programme providers and other involved staff.
resultsForty participants were recruited in four months from 65 eligible potential participants asked. No one withdrew from the trial. Follow-up interviews were completed with 35 participants (88%). Process records indicated the programme was delivered as intended: there was a median of seven meetings with their Community Navigator (of a maximum ten) per treatment group participant. Qualitative interviews indicated good acceptability of the programme to stakeholders, and potential utility in reducing loneliness and depression and anxiety.
conclusionsA definitive, multi-site randomised controlled trial is recommended to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Community Navigator programme for people with complex anxiety and depression in secondary mental health services.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.