The e-SINCERE Study

Summary

The e-SINCERE study will evaluate whether providing stable cell phones and digital navigation assistance helps patients overcome ICT barriers and connect more successfully with community services. The study will begin with patients in the UHealth ED, with additional sites added in the future, and will involve working with community service providers and policy leaders to refine and implement the intervention. Findings from this study may guide the development of future programs and policies to improve access to services for patients facing economic and technological barriers.

Conditions

• Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
• Digital Health Literacy
• Health Services Utilization

Interventions

OTHER

Standard Referral to 211

Participants receive a standard referral to United Way 211 for assistance with social needs. 211 specialists contact referred patients, provide available service referrals, and follow up in an ad-hoc manner as per standard 211 protocols.

BEHAVIORAL

e-SINCERE (Phone Support)

Participants receive a study-provided cellphone to ensure stable phone access. Using this device, participants are connected to United Way 211 specialists, who provide referral services for identified social needs. This intervention focuses on overcoming communication barriers that might otherwise prevent successful service connection.

BEHAVIORAL

e-SINCERE (Digital Navigation)

Participants receive a study-provided TracFone and direct support from a trained Digital Navigator. The Digital Navigator assists participants with accessing United Way 211 services, troubleshooting barriers to phone or internet use, and reinforcing follow-through on referrals. This arm is designed to provide enhanced, structured navigation support to address digital access barriers and increase successful service connections.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

  collaborator NIH

• Andrea Wallace

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Andrea Wallace, PhD · University of Utah

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-08-08

Primary Completion

2028-08-31

Completion

2029-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations