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Trial registered on ANZCTR
Registration number
ACTRN12611000758909
Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
19/07/2011
Date registered
20/07/2011
Date last updated
1/04/2014
Type of registration
Prospectively registered
Titles & IDs
Public title
The Health of Newly Arrived Refugees with Vitamin B12 Deficiency
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Scientific title
In newly arrived refugees aged 18 and over from Bhutan, Afghanistan and Iran who come to the Migrant Health Service in Adelaide, are symptoms and perception of physical, psychological and general health different in those with and without Vitamin B12 deficiency?
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Secondary ID [1]
262658
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Nil
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Universal Trial Number (UTN)
U1111-1122-9705
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Trial acronym
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Linked study record
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Health condition
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:
Vitamin B12 deficiency
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Refugee health
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Condition category
Condition code
Diet and Nutrition
268496
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0
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Other diet and nutrition disorders
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Metabolic and Endocrine
268497
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0
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Other metabolic disorders
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Mental Health
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268498
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0
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Other mental health disorders
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Intervention/exposure
Study type
Observational
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Patient registry
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Target follow-up duration
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Target follow-up type
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Description of intervention(s) / exposure
A questionnaire including the K10, the general health question from the SF-36 and questions about the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency will be self-administered (with the support of health staff) in their own language by newly arrived refugees from Bhutan, Afghanistan and Iran. Some participants will have Vitamin B12 deficiency (<150pmol/L), some will have borderline Vitamin B12 (150-240pmol/L) and some will have normal Vitamin B12 levels. All participants will be treated according to usual clinical protocols with Vitamin B12 injections if they have deficiency, dietary advice if they have borderline levels and no treatment if theyhave normal Vitamin B12 levels. The questionnaire will be administered to all participants again after 4 months and those with low or borderline Vitamin B12 will have their levels repeated.
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Intervention code [1]
267003
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Not applicable
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Comparator / control treatment
The controls in this study are those participants with normal Vitamin B12 levels. Answers to the questionnaire will be compared in the three groups initially and after four months. Answers to the K10 will also be compared with those from the NSW Government Health Survey (2006) and the answers to the general health question will be compared with those from the ABS National Health Survey (2004-2005).
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Control group
Active
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Outcomes
Primary outcome [1]
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Whether symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, memory difficulties, unusual sensations in legs and feet and psycholgocial distress are reliable indictors of Vitamin B12 deficiency in newly arrived refugees. A questionnaire consisting of the Kessler 10 (K10) Psychological Distress scale, the general health question from the SF-36 and questions about the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency will be asked. Blood tests fro Vitamin B12 levels will be taken
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Assessment method [1]
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Timepoint [1]
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Initial presentation and 4 months later
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Secondary outcome [1]
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Whether symptoms and perception of health change as Vitamin B12 normalises. A questionnaire consisting of the Kessler 10 (K10) Psychological Distress scale, the general health question from the SF-36 and questions about the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency will be asked. Blood tests fro Vitamin B12 levels will be taken
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Assessment method [1]
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Timepoint [1]
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Initial presentation and 4 months later
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Secondary outcome [2]
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Whether there is a difference in symptomatology and perceptions of general health in newly arrived refugees with and without Vitamin B12 deficiency. A questionnaire consisting of the Kessler 10 (K10) Psychological Distress scale, the general health question from the SF-36 and questions about the symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency will be asked. Blood tests fro Vitamin B12 levels will be taken
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Assessment method [2]
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Timepoint [2]
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Initial presentation and 4 months later
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Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
Refugees aged 18 and over who present to the New Arrival Nursing Clinic at the Migrant Health Service in Adelaide in the first 3 months after arrival into Australia who are from Bhutan, Afghanistan or Iran.
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Minimum age
18
Years
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Maximum age
No limit
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Sex
Both males and females
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Can healthy volunteers participate?
Yes
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Key exclusion criteria
Aged under 18 or taking Vitamin B12 supplements at the initial presentation
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Study design
Purpose
Screening
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Duration
Longitudinal
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Selection
Defined population
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Timing
Prospective
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Statistical methods / analysis
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Recruitment
Recruitment status
Completed
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Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
15/08/2011
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Actual
15/10/2011
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Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
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Actual
30/10/2012
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Date of last data collection
Anticipated
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Actual
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Sample size
Target
139
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Accrual to date
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Final
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Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
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Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1]
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Government body
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Name [1]
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Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development (PHCRED)
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Address [1]
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Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHC RIS)
Discipline of General Practice
Flinders University of South Australia
GPO Box 2100
Adelaide SA 5001
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Country [1]
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Australia
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Primary sponsor type
Individual
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Name
Dr Jill Benson
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Address
Discipline of General Practice
University of Adelaide
SA 5005
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Country
Australia
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Secondary sponsor category [1]
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None
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Name [1]
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Address [1]
266527
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Country [1]
266527
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Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
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Ethics committee name [1]
269443
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University of Adelaide Human Research Ethics Committee
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Ethics committee address [1]
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Secretary Human Research Ethics Committee Research Ethics and compliance Unit Research Branch Level 7, 115 Grenfell St University of Adelaide, SA, 5005
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Ethics committee country [1]
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Australia
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Date submitted for ethics approval [1]
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19/07/2011
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Approval date [1]
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19/09/2011
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Ethics approval number [1]
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H-188-2011
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Ethics committee name [2]
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SA Department of Health Human Research Ethics Committee
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Ethics committee address [2]
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Research and Ethics Policy Unit SA Health PO Box 287 Rundle Mall SA 5000
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Ethics committee country [2]
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Australia
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Date submitted for ethics approval [2]
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19/07/2011
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Approval date [2]
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16/09/2011
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Ethics approval number [2]
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462/07/2014
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Summary
Brief summary
High levels of Vitamin B12 deficiency were recently found in some refugee groups in studies in Australia and USA (Benson, 2010; CDC, 2011). The cause of the deficiency is unknown but is thought to be due to dietary deficiency in animal source foods or because of infection with helicobacter pylori. There is a well-known relationship of Vitamin B12 deficiency with depression and other problems such as fatigue, irritability, memory problems and unusual sensations in legs and feet (Oh, 2003). These symptoms are often used as indicators of Vitamin B12 deficiency however there have been no studies to date to determine if these are reliable indictors, or whether they are present in all refugees with Vitamin B12 deficiency. Many refugees have psychological problems, (Steel, 2009) as well as fatigue, irritability, dizziness and memory difficulties, but it is unknown whether these symptoms may also be linked to Vitamin B12 deficiency in this population. As refugees settle into a new country their diet and psychological health is likely to change. A control group will assist in adjusting for confounding factors. This pilot study aims to identify: 1. whether symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, memory difficulties, unusual sensations in legs and feet and psychological distress are reliable indictors of Vitamin B12 deficiency in newly arrived refugees 2. whether these symptoms change as Vitamin B12 deficiency normalises 3. whether there is a difference in symptomatology and perceptions of general health in newly arrived refugees with and without Vitamin B12 deficiency.
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Trial website
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Trial related presentations / publications
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Public notes
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Contacts
Principal investigator
Name
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Dr Jill Benson AM
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Address
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Discipline of General Practice
University of Adelaide
178 North Tce,
Adelaide
SA 5000
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Country
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Australia
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Phone
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+61 8 82373900
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Fax
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Email
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[email protected]
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Contact person for public queries
Name
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Jill Benson AM
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Address
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Director, Health in Human Diversity Unit
Discipline of General Practice
University of Adelaide
SA 5005
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Country
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Australia
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Phone
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+61 8 83133460
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Fax
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+61 8 83133511
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Email
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[email protected]
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Contact person for scientific queries
Name
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Jill Benson AM
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Address
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Director, Health in Human Diversity Unit
Discipline of General Practice
University of Adelaide
SA 5005
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Country
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Australia
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Phone
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+61 8 83133460
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Fax
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+61 8 83133511
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Email
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[email protected]
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No information has been provided regarding IPD availability
What supporting documents are/will be available?
No Supporting Document Provided
Results publications and other study-related documents
Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.
Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.
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