Financial StressNCT04135469
Tax Preparation Pilot
A study testing Referral for tax preparation services and Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMC in people with Financial Stress and Maternal Distress, run by Boston Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this study to understand what percentage of families in the pediatric clinic at Boston Medical Center (BMC) currently file taxes and use free tax preparation and would accept and use referral to a free tax preparation service. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 0 to 5 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Financial Stress, Maternal Distress
- What is being tested?
- Referral for tax preparation services and Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMC
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 69 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 13 Nov 2019to 4 Sep 2020
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 0 to 5 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Who may be able to join
- Guardian of a child 0-5 years
- English, Spanish, or Haitian-Creole -speaking
- Child is a Boston Medical Center pediatric primary care patient
Who cannot join
- Guardian not present at time of clinic visit
- Have no taxable income for the calendar year
- Not using BMC for pediatric primary care
- Have already filed their taxes for 2020
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Integration of Tax Preparation Into Pediatric Clinics: A Pilot Study
The goal of this study to understand what percentage of families in the pediatric clinic at Boston Medical Center (BMC) currently file taxes and use free tax preparation and would accept and use referral to a free tax preparation service. The investigators specifically want to understand which of two methods of connecting to free tax preparation (referral versus navigated connection) is more effective. Also studied will be the feasibility of using surveys on financial wellness and other health indicators to track participants' health.
These pilot findings will be used to design a larger study that aims to assess whether integrating free tax preparation services into a pediatric clinic can increase tax filing rates and, as a result, the amount of money families receive in tax refunds. Additionally, the investigators hope to understand whether receiving this service impacts parental stress as well as how parents and babies are using the healthcare system.
- Conditions
- Financial Stress, Maternal Distress
- Being tested
- Referral for tax preparation services, Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMC
- Keywords
- Tax preparation service, Tax filing, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child tax credit
- Medical subject headings
- Financial Stress
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Referral for tax preparation servicesOther
Printed materials will be provided with contact information for tax preparation services at BMC and other sites in the city.
Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMCOther
A study navigator will assist the participant in accessing the BMC located tax preparation services.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Referral for tax preparation | Active comparator | Participants will be given contact information on financial services, including all the free tax preparation services in the city, including Boston Medical Center. Receives: Other: Referral for tax preparation services |
| BMC tax preparation | Experimental | A navigator will help the participants with using free tax preparation services located at Boston Medical Center or a service located elsewhere in the city. Receives: Other: Referral for tax preparation services; Other: Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMC |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Financial well being
The consumer financial protection bureau (cfpb) financial -well-being questionnaire will be used to assess financial stability. It has 5 items with scores from from 0 to 4 where 4 is the response associated with the best financial well being. Total scores can range from 0 to 16. They are interpreted with a table stratifying the participants age as 19-61 and 62+ and higher scores are more favorable.
Measured: 12 months
Tax refund
A copy of the IRS tax return form will be reviewed to extract the total tax refund amount
Measured: 12 months
Tax credits
A copy of the IRS tax return form will be reviewed to extract the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit amounts
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (5)
Maternal mental health
The Beck depression inventory is a 21 item instrument with options of responses from 0 to 3. Total scores can range from 0 to 63 and are interpreted with this rubric: 1-10, these ups and downs are considered normal; 11-16, mild mood disturbance; 17-20, borderline clinical depression; 21-30, moderate depression; 31-40, severe depression; over 40, extreme depression
Measured: 12 months
Maternal well being
The Flourishing Scale is a 12-item summary measure of well being. Each of the items is self-rated on a a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 is the best possible response related to well being. Total scores can range from 0 to 120. HIgher scores are associated with higher levels of well being.
Measured: 12 months
Parenting skills
The 'Me as a Parent' questionnaire will be used to assess parenting skills. It is a 16 item scale where a parent is asked to rate how strongly they agree or disagree with the statements. Responses range from 1 to 5 with 1- strongly disagree and 5= strongly agree. Total scores range from 16 to 80 and higher scores are associated with stronger parenting skills.
Measured: 12 months
Maternal healthcare utilization
The electronic medical record for the mother/guardian will be reviewed and the total number and types of health care utilized (eg outpatient visits and hospitalizations) will be abstracted.
Measured: 12 months
Child healthcare utilization
The electronic medical record for the child will be reviewed and the total number and types of health care utilized (eg outpatient visits and hospitalizations) will be abstracted.
Measured: 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Oct 2019
- Study start13 Nov 2019
- Primary completion4 Sep 2020
- Study completion4 Sep 2020
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Financial StressStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 69 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Boston Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Boston University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Lucy Marcil, MD MPH, Principal investigator, Boston Medical Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04135469
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- H-38575
- Status last verified
- Sep 2020
- First submitted
- 17 Oct 2019
- Last updated
- 5 Oct 2020
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Oct 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Integration of Tax Preparation Into Pediatric Clinics: A Pilot Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04135469
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- H-38575
- Conditions
- Financial Stress, Maternal Distress
- Keywords
- Tax preparation service, Tax filing, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child tax credit
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 69 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Boston Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Boston University
- Study start
- 13 Nov 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 4 Sep 2020 (actual)
- Study completion
- 4 Sep 2020 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Oct 2019 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this study to understand what percentage of families in the pediatric clinic at Boston Medical Center (BMC) currently file taxes and use free tax preparation and would accept and use referral to a free tax preparation service. The investigators specifically want to understand which of two methods of connecting to free tax preparation (referral versus navigated connection) is more effective. Also studied will be the feasibility of using surveys on financial wellness and other health indicators to track participants' health.
These pilot findings will be used to design a larger study that aims to assess whether integrating free tax preparation services into a pediatric clinic can increase tax filing rates and, as a result, the amount of money families receive in tax refunds. Additionally, the investigators hope to understand whether receiving this service impacts parental stress as well as how parents and babies are using the healthcare system.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Referral for tax preparation | Active comparator | Other: Referral for tax preparation servicesParticipants will be given contact information on financial services, including all the free tax preparation services in the city, including Boston Medical Center. |
| BMC tax preparation | Experimental | Other: Referral for tax preparation services, Other: Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMCA navigator will help the participants with using free tax preparation services located at Boston Medical Center or a service located elsewhere in the city. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 0 to 5 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Guardian of a child 0-5 years
- English, Spanish, or Haitian-Creole -speaking
- Child is a Boston Medical Center pediatric primary care patient
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Guardian not present at time of clinic visit
- Have no taxable income for the calendar year
- Not using BMC for pediatric primary care
- Have already filed their taxes for 2020
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Referral for tax preparation servicesPrinted materials will be provided with contact information for tax preparation services at BMC and other sites in the city. | Other | BMC tax preparation, Referral for tax preparation |
| Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMCA study navigator will assist the participant in accessing the BMC located tax preparation services. | Other | BMC tax preparation |
Primary outcome
Financial well being
Time frame: 12 months
The consumer financial protection bureau (cfpb) financial -well-being questionnaire will be used to assess financial stability. It has 5 items with scores from from 0 to 4 where 4 is the response associated with the best financial well being. Total scores can range from 0 to 16. They are interpreted with a table stratifying the participants age as 19-61 and 62+ and higher scores are more favorable.
Tax refund
Time frame: 12 months
A copy of the IRS tax return form will be reviewed to extract the total tax refund amount
Tax credits
Time frame: 12 months
A copy of the IRS tax return form will be reviewed to extract the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit amounts
5 secondary outcomes
Maternal mental health
Time frame: 12 months
Maternal well being
Time frame: 12 months
Parenting skills
Time frame: 12 months
Maternal healthcare utilization
Time frame: 12 months
Child healthcare utilization
Time frame: 12 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Oct 2020.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Lucy Marcil, MD MPH principal investigator
Boston Medical Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Referral for tax preparation services and Navigator assisted tax preparation services at BMC in people with Financial Stress and Maternal Distress, run by Boston Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Oct 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Financial well being (time frame: 12 months). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Oct 2020.