Research Aimed at Improving Both Mood and Weight (RAINBOW)

The large numbers of primary care patients affected by coexisting obesity and depression and common risk factors for diabetes and heart disease underscore the urgency of developing effective, accessible, and sustainable interventions that use an integrated, multi-condition care management approach.

This study will rigorously evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness and potential for “real-world” implementation of an innovative intervention that integrates a behavioral weight loss program and a collaborative stepped care program for depression, incorporates conventional clinic- and home-based modes of care delivery (e.g., office visits plus phone consults and take-home DVD), and leverages low-cost, wide-reach health information technologies (e.g., Web, secure email, and mobile texting).

Given its focus on transforming primary care management of obesity and depression and common cardiometabolic risk factors to evidence-based, patient-centered care, as well as the likely scalability of the proposed intervention, the study has high potential for significant clinical and public health impact.

Subaward PIs are:

• Wayne Katon, MD, University of Washington; 
• Kaye Kramer, DrPH, University of Pittsburgh; 
• Veronica Yank, MD, Stanford University of Medicine. 

Co-Investigators are:

• Jeremy Goldhaber-Fiebert, PhD, Stanford University School of Medicine
• Mark Snowden, MD, University of Washington. 
• Megan Lewis, PhD, RTI International, is Consulting Co-Investigator
• Philip Lavori, PhD, serves as Consultant.

PAMF physician advisers are:

• Bahar Aghighi, M.D., FACE, Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism 
• Meg Durbin, M.D., Regional Vice President, Care Coordination, Peninsula Coastal Region, Sutter Health
• Edward Yu, M.D., Family Medicine, Medical Director for Quality

Lenard Lesser, M.D., MSHS, serves as consulting investigator.

Funder

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute