Plain-English translation of NCT04877197 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
Read our Depression research guide →This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.
This trial is testing whether behavioral activation—a type of counseling that helps people gradually increase helpful activities—can reduce depression in veterans who were recently hospitalized for heart disease. The counseling is delivered entirely through video calls from home, so you don't have to travel to a clinic. The study compares this new approach to standard care to see which helps people recover better and feel less depressed.
Many people develop depression after a serious heart event, and depression makes recovery harder and increases health risks. Unfortunately, most depressed patients don't receive proper counseling because they're too weak, fearful, or unable to travel to weekly appointments after being hospitalized. This trial tests whether delivering counseling by video at home can reach more people and help them recover better.
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If you join, you'll be randomly assigned to either receive the home counseling program right away or to receive standard care first. The counseling involves twelve weekly sessions of about 50 minutes each, done by video call from your home. You'll work with a counselor on gradually increasing activities that matter to you. The study tracks how you're doing through questionnaires about mood and daily functioning at the start, after treatment ends, and at 3 and 9 months. The standard care group has the option to receive the counseling starting at the 9-month mark.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 20, 2026 · Not medical advice
United States