Cost-effectiveness and net benefit of enhanced treatment of depression for older adults with diabetes and depression

Promotoras as mental health practitioners in primary care: a multi-method study of an intervention to address contextual sources of depression

We assessed the role of promotoras--briefly trained community health workers--in depression care at community health centers. The intervention focused on four contextual sources of depression in underserved, low-income communities: underemployment, inadequate housing, food insecurity, and violence. A multi-method design included quantitative and ethnographic techniques to study predictors of depression and the intervention's impact. After a structured training program, primary care practitioners (PCPs) and promotoras collaboratively followed a clinical algorithm in which PCPs prescribed medications and/or arranged consultations by mental health professionals and promotoras addressed the contextual sources of depression. Based on an intake interview with 464 randomly recruited patients, 120 patients with depression were randomized to enhanced care plus the promotora contextual intervention, or to enhanced care alone. All four contextual problems emerged as strong predictors of depression (chi square, p < .05); logistic regression revealed housing and food insecurity as the most important predictors (odds ratios both 2.40, p < .05). Unexpected challenges arose in the intervention's implementation, involving infrastructure at the health centers, boundaries of the promotoras' roles, and "turf" issues with medical assistants. In the quantitative assessment, the intervention did not lead to statistically significant improvements in depression (odds ratio 4.33, confidence interval overlapping 1). Ethnographic research demonstrated a predominantly positive response to the intervention among stakeholders, including patients, promotoras, PCPs, non-professional staff workers, administrators, and community advisory board members. Due to continuing unmet mental health needs, we favor further assessment of innovative roles for community health workers.

Healthy coping: issues and implications in diabetes education and care

Psychological, emotional, and social factors not only impact quality of life, but also often play a role in chronic illness outcomes. Diabetes care, in particular, is greatly influenced by psychosocial factors when they hinder a person's ability to manage the disease and achieve metabolic control. Healthy coping, defined as responding to a psychological and physical challenge by recruiting available resources to increase the probability of favorable outcomes in the future, is essential to effective self-management by people with diabetes. In June 2009, the American Association of Diabetes Educators convened a multidisciplinary expert panel to discuss healthy coping in diabetes. The panel included diabetes educators and behavioral science and mental health professionals. Drawing on their knowledge and experiences, as well as information presented at the symposium, the panel probed several aspects of healthy coping including what it entails, common barriers, assessment, population diversity, and clinical applications. A team approach to addressing the patient's coping is critical. Team involvement relieves the diabetes educator of the entire burden of supporting the patient in this regard. The team should be broadly defined and include those who are formally and informally involved. Healthy coping is a complex, qualitative behavior that cannot be easily quantified. Future efforts to address the issue of healthy coping should add to the body of literature regarding diabetes self-management at the individual and population-based levels.

Initial implementation of a depression care manager model: an observational study of outpatient utilization in primary care clinics

Many primary care physicians understand the challenges of taking care of patients with depression. Care management models for depression have been described as more effective than usual practice. The implementation of such a model requires a clinic manager to be able to predict how this new process might impact staffing and clinical demand. This study was designed to evaluate the initial impact of the implementation of a depression care manager (CM) model on the utilization of outpatient visits. The hypothesis is that the introduction of a CM model for depression in a primary care practice would be associated with an increased utilization of health care resources when compared to usual care (UC). There were 38 patients enrolled during the initial 2 months of implementation of the CM model. Using a retrospective medical record review, the CM population was compared to a similar group receiving UC (N = 49), and a significant increase in the percentage of patients who were seen for any reason in the CM population was found (65.8% vs. 36.7%, P = 0.01). The average CM patient had 1.24 outpatient visits for any reason vs. 0.69 for the UC group (P = 0.01). When specifically focusing on outpatient visits for depression, the CM group averaged 0.95 visits per patient as compared to the UC patients having 0.55 visits per patient (P = 0.04). This study suggests that the initial implementation of a CM model for treatment of depression will increase outpatient utilization. .

Increased Anxiety and Length of Treatment Associated With Depressed Patients Who are Readmitted to Collaborative Care

In 2008, the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) in Minnesota implemented a model of collaborative care management (CCM) for treatment of depression in primary care. This resulted in significant improvements on both clinical response and remission over usual care, although an increase in utilization metrics has been observed. Mental health comorbidities have previously been significantly associated with an increased likelihood of not responding to initial treatment. This retrospective study hypothesized that patients with mental health comorbidities are more likely to be associated with patients who were readmitted into CCM with recurrent depression. A total of 145 patients who had completed CCM were studied; of these, 32 were diagnosed with recurrent depression and were readmitted to CCM, and 113 were in remission for at least 4 months. There were no statistically significant demographic differences between the 2 groups. The initial screening GAD-7 score for anxiety was significantly increased in the readmission group (12.81 vs 9.20, P = .001) as was the average length of treatment from initial diagnosis to remission (168.09 vs 120.99 days, P = .002). All other initial screening tests were not different between the groups. When controlling for the independent variables by multiple logistic regression, the odds ratio for GAD-7 was 1.1156 (CI = 1.0.192 to 1.2212, P = .0177) and for days of treatment in CCM was 1.0123 (CI = 1.0041 to 1.0206, P = .0033). Patients who are readmitted to CCM for recurrent depression have a statistically increased risk of associated anxiety and a longer treatment course than those who have remained in remission for at least 4 months.

Correlates of depression among people with diabetes: The Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study

AIM

The broad objective of this study was to examine multiple dimensions of depression in a large, diverse population of adults with diabetes. Specific aims were to measure the association of depression with: (1) patient characteristics; (2) outcomes; and (3) diabetes-related quality of care.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analyses were performed using survey and chart data from the Translating Research Into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study, including 8790 adults with diabetes, enrolled in 10 managed care health plans in 7 states. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). Patient characteristics, outcomes and quality of care were measured using validated survey items and chart data.

RESULTS

Nearly 18% of patients had major depression, with prevalence 2-3 times higher among patients with low socioeconomic status. Pain and limited mobility were strongly associated with depression, controlling for other patient characteristics. Depression was associated with slightly worse glycemic control, but not other intermediate clinical outcomes. Depressed patients received slightly fewer recommended diabetes-related processes of care.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large, diverse cohort of patients with diabetes, depression was most prevalent among patients with low socioeconomic status and those with pain, and was associated with slightly worse glycemic control and quality of care.

Within-trial economic evaluation of diabetes-specific cognitive behaviour therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes and subthreshold depression

Background

Despite the high prevalence of subthreshold depression in patients with type 2 diabetes, evidence on cost-effectiveness of different therapy options for these patients is currently lacking.

Methods/Design

Within-trial economic evaluation of the diabetes-specific cognitive behaviour therapy for subthreshold depression. Patients with diabetes and subthreshold depression are randomly assigned to either 2 weeks of diabetes-specific cognitive behaviour group therapy (n = 104) or to standard diabetes education programme only (n = 104). Patients are followed for 12 months. During this period data on total health sector costs, patient costs and societal productivity costs are collected in addition to clinical data. Health related quality of life (the SF-36 and the EQ-5D) is measured at baseline, immediately after the intervention, at 6 and at 12 months after the intervention. Quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and cumulative costs will be estimated for each arm of the trial. Cost-effectiveness of the diabetes-specific cognitive behaviour group therapy will be analysed from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance and from the societal perspective. To this end, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in terms of cost per QALY gained will be calculated.

Discussion

Some methodological issues of the described economic evaluation are discussed.

Trial registration

The trial has been registered at the Clinical Trials Register (NCT01009138).

Improving health outcomes with better patient understanding and education

A central plank of health care reform is an expanded role for educated consumers interacting with responsive health care teams. However, for individuals to realize the benefits of health education also requires a high level of engagement. Population studies have documented a gap between expectations and the actual performance of behaviours related to participation in health care and prevention. Interventions to improve self-care have shown improvements in self-efficacy, patient satisfaction, coping skills, and perceptions of social support. Significant clinical benefits have been seen from trials of self-management or lifestyle interventions across conditions such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the focus of many studies has been on short-term outcomes rather that long term effects. There is also some evidence that participation in patient education programs is not spread evenly across socio economic groups. This review considers three other issues that may be important in increasing the public health impact of patient education. The first is health literacy, which is the capacity to seek, understand and act on health information. Although health literacy involves an individual's competencies, the health system has a primary responsibility in setting the parameters of the health interaction and the style, content and mode of information. Secondly, much patient education work has focused on factors such as attitudes and beliefs. That small changes in physical environments can have large effects on behavior and can be utilized in self-management and chronic disease research. Choice architecture involves reconfiguring the context or physical environment in a way that makes it more likely that people will choose certain behaviours. Thirdly, better means of evaluating the impact of programs on public health is needed. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework has been promoted as one such potential approach.

Collaborative depression treatment in older and younger adults with physical illness: pooled comparative analysis of three randomized clinical trials

OBJECTIVE

There have been few comparisons of the effectiveness of collaborative depression care between older versus younger adults with comorbid illness, particularly among low-income populations.

DESIGN

Intent-to-treat analyses are conducted on pooled data from three randomized controlled trials that tested collaborative care aimed at improving depression, quality of life, and treatment receipt.

SETTINGS

Trials were conducted in oncology and primary care safety net clinics and diverse home healthcare programs.

PARTICIPANTS

Thousand eighty-one patients with major depressive symptoms and cancer, diabetes, or other comorbid illness.

INTERVENTION

Similar intervention protocols included patient, provider, sociocultural, and organizational adaptations.

MEASUREMENTS

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 depression, Short-Form Health Survey-12/20 quality of life, self-reported hospitalization, ER, intensive care unit utilization, and antidepressant, psychotherapy treatment receipt are assessed at baseline, 6, and 12 months.

RESULTS

There are no significant differences in reducing depression symptoms (p ranged 0.18-0.58), improving quality of life (t = 1.86, df = 669, p = 0.07 for physical functioning at 12 months, and p ranged 0.23-0.99 for all others) patients aged between >/=60 years versus 18-59 years. Both age group intervention patients have significantly higher rates of a 50% PHQ-9 reduction (older: Wald chi[df = 1] = 4.82, p = 0.03; younger: Wald chi[df = 1] = 6.47, p = 0.02), greater reduction in major depression rates (older: Wald chi[df = 1] = 7.72, p = 0.01; younger: Wald chi[df = 1] = 4.0, p = 0.05) than enhanced-usual-care patients at 6 months and no significant age group differences in treatment type or intensity.

CONCLUSION

Collaborative depression care in individuals with comorbid illness is as effective in reducing depression in older patients as younger patients, including among low-income, minority patients. Patient, provider, and organizational adaptations of depression care management models may contribute to positive outcomes.

Advantages of using estimated depression-free days for evaluating treatment efficacy

OBJECTIVE

Several common methods for measuring treatment response present a snapshot of depression symptoms. The construct of estimated depression-free days (DFDs) simultaneously captures treatment outcome and estimates the patient's experience of depression over time. The study compared this measure with traditional measures used in depression treatment research.

METHODS

This secondary data analysis was based on data from the Improving Mood-Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment trial, a multisite depression treatment study conducted in 18 primary care clinics in five states and representing eight health care systems. The sample of older adults (N=906) had been randomly assigned to receive collaborative care for depression. Participants were aged 60 or older and met criteria for major depressive disorder, dysthymia, or both. Exclusion criteria included severe cognitive impairment, active substance abuse, active suicidal behavior, severe mental illness, and active treatment from a psychiatrist. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-20) were used as outcome measures at four assessment points (baseline, three months, six months, and 12 months). Outcomes were computed for relative change, standardized differences, the proportion of improvement in depression, and DFDs.

RESULTS

Using four assessment points improved the agreement between DFDs and the course of symptom change between pre- and posttest measures.

CONCLUSIONS

The DFD is a valid measure for estimating treatment outcomes that reflects the course of symptom change over time. When multiple assessments were conducted between the pre- and posttest periods, DFDs incorporated additional data yet remained easily interpreted. The DFD should be considered for reporting outcomes in depression research.

Integrating depression and chronic disease care among patients with diabetes and/or coronary heart disease: the design of the TEAMcare study

Diabetes and coronary heart disease (CHD) are two of the most prevalent medical illnesses in the US population and comorbid depression occurs in up to 20% of these patients. Guidelines for management of diabetes and CHD overlap for healthy lifestyle and disease-control recommendations. However, the majority of patients with these medical illnesses have been shown to have inadequate control of key risk factors such as blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, or blood sugar. Comorbid depression has been shown to adversely affect self-care of diabetes and CHD, and is associated with an increased risk of complications and mortality. Interventions that have improved quality and outcomes of depression care alone in patients with diabetes and CHD have not demonstrated benefits in self-care, improved disease control or morbidity and mortality. This paper describes the design and development of a new biopsychosocial intervention (TEAMcare) aimed at improving both medical disease control and depression in patients with poor control of diabetes and/or CHD who met the criteria for comorbid depression. A team approach is used with a nurse interventionist who receives weekly psychiatric and primary care physician caseload supervision in order to enhance treatment by the primary care physician. This intervention is being tested in an NIMH-funded randomized controlled trial in a large integrated health plan.

Health costs in patients treated for depression, in patients with depressive symptoms treated for another chronic disorder, and in non-depressed patients: a two-year prospective cohort study in anthroposophic outpatient settings

We studied costs of healthcare and productivity loss in 487 German outpatients starting anthroposophic treatment: Group 1 was treated for depression, Group 2 had depressive symptoms but were treated for another chronic disorder, while Group 3 did not have depressive symptoms. Costs were adjusted for socio-demographics, comorbidity, and baseline health status. Total costs in groups 1-3 averaged euro7,129, euro4,371, and euro3,532 in the pre-study year (P = 0.008); euro6,029, euro3,522, and euro3,353 in the first year (P = 0.083); and euro4,929, euro3,792, and euro4,031 in the second year (P = 0.460). In the 2nd year, costs were significantly reduced in Group 1. This study underlines the importance of depression for health costs, and suggests that treatment of depression could be associated with long-term cost reductions.

The detection and treatment of depression in the physically ill

DEPRESSION AND CHRONIC PHYSICAL ILLNESS ARE IN RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER: not only do many chronic illnesses cause higher rates of depression, but depression has been shown to antedate some chronic physical illnesses. Depression associated with physical illness is less well detected than depression occurring on its own, and various ways of improving both the detection and treatment of depression accompanying physical illness are described. This paper is in four parts, the first dealing with the evidence for depression having a special relationship with physical disorders, the second dealing with detection of depression in physically ill patients, the third with the treatment of depression, and the fourth describing the advantages of treating depression among physically ill patients.

Review: the net benefits of depression management in primary care

Depression is often diagnosed and treated in primary care settings. Organizational and systems interventions that restructure primary care practices and train staff have been shown to be cost-effective strategies for treating depression. Funders are increasingly calling for a cost-benefit assessment of such programs. In this study, the authors review existing cost-effectiveness studies of primary care depression treatments, classify them into categories, translate the results into net benefit terms, and assess whether more costly programs generate greater net benefit. The authors find that interventions that provide training to primary care teams in how to manage depression most consistently produce net benefits, with more costly interventions of this type generating larger net benefits than less costly interventions. Collaborative care interventions, which add specialized staff to primary care practices, and therapy interventions, in which clinicians are trained to provide therapy, also generate net social benefits at conventional valuations of quality-adjusted life years.

Depression care in the United States: too little for too few

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence and adequacy of depression care among different ethnic and racial groups in the United States.

DESIGN

Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) data were analyzed to calculate nationally representative estimates of depression care.

SETTING

The 48 coterminous United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Household residents 18 years and older (N = 15 762) participated in the study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Past-year depression pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy using American Psychiatric Association guideline-concordant therapies. Depression severity was assessed with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report. Primary predictors were major ethnic/racial groups (Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Caribbean black, African American, and non-Latino white) and World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview criteria for 12-month major depressive episode.

RESULTS

Mexican American and African American individuals meeting 12-month major depression criteria consistently and significantly had lower odds for any depression therapy and guideline-concordant therapies despite depression severity ratings not significantly differing between ethnic/racial groups. All groups reported higher use of any past-year psychotherapy and guideline-concordant psychotherapy compared with pharmacotherapy; however, Caribbean black and African American individuals reported the highest proportions of this use.

CONCLUSIONS

Few Americans with recent major depression have used depression therapies and guideline-concordant therapies; however, the lowest rates of use were found among Mexican American and African American individuals. Ethnic/racial differences were found despite comparable depression care need. More Americans with recent major depression used psychotherapy over pharmacotherapy, and these differences were most pronounced among Mexican American and African American individuals. This report underscores the importance of disaggregating ethnic/racial groups and depression therapies in understanding and directing efforts to improve depression care in the United States.

Cost-effectiveness of collaborative care for the treatment of major depressive disorder in primary care. A systematic review

Background

The effectiveness of collaborative care for patients with major depressive disorder in primary care has been established. Assessing its cost-effectiveness is important for deciding on implementation. This review therefore evaluates the cost-effectiveness of collaborative care for major depressive disorder in primary care.

Methods

A systematic search on economic evaluations of collaborative care was conducted in Pubmed and PsychInfo. Quality of the studies was measured with the Cochrane checklist and the CHEC-list for economic evaluations. Cost-effectiveness and costs per depression-free days were reported.

Results

8 studies were found, involving 4868 patients. The quality of the cost effectiveness studies, according to the CHEC-list, could be improved. Generally, the studies did not include all relevant costs and did not perform sensitivity analysis. Only 4 out of 8 studies reported cost per QALY, 6 out of 8 reported costs per depression-free days. The highest costs per QALY reported were $49,500, the highest costs per depression-free day were $24.

Conclusions

Although studies did not fulfil all criteria of the CHEC-list, collaborative care is a promising intervention and it may be cost-effective. However, to conclude on the cost-effectiveness, depression research should follow economic guidelines to improve the quality of the economic evaluations.

Collaborative depression care: history, evolution and ways to enhance dissemination and sustainability

OBJECTIVE

To describe the history and evolution of the collaborative depression care model and new research aimed at enhancing dissemination.

METHOD

Four keynote speakers from the 2009 NIMH Annual Mental Health Services Meeting collaborated in this article in order to describe the history and evolution of collaborative depression care, adaptation of collaborative care to new populations and medical settings, and optimal ways to enhance dissemination of this model.

RESULTS

Extensive evidence across 37 randomized trials has shown the effectiveness of collaborative care vs. usual primary care in enhancing quality of depression care and in improving depressive outcomes for up to 2 to 5 years. Collaborative care is currently being disseminated in large health care organizations such as the Veterans Administration and Kaiser Permanente, as well as in fee-for-services systems and federally funded clinic systems of care in multiple states. New adaptations of collaborative care are being tested in pediatric and ob-gyn populations as well as in populations of patients with multiple comorbid medical illnesses. New NIMH-funded research is also testing community-based participatory research approaches to collaborative care to attempt to decrease disparities of care in underserved minority populations.

CONCLUSION

Collaborative depression care has extensive research supporting the effectiveness of this model. New research and demonstration projects have focused on adapting this model to new populations and medical settings and on studying ways to optimally disseminate this approach to care, including developing financial models to incentivize dissemination and partnerships with community populations to enhance sustainability and to decrease disparities in quality of mental health care.

Moderating effects of coping styles on anxiety and depressive symptoms caused by psychological stress in Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes

AIMS

This study aimed to assess possible interactive effects of coping styles and psychological stress on depression and anxiety symptoms in Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Three hundred and four patients with Type 2 diabetes underwent a face-to-face interview by trained research staff according to a standardized questionnaire including information on socio-demographic characteristics, psychological stress, coping styles and anxiety and depressive symptoms. The interactive effects of coping styles and psychological stress on depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed by hierarchical multiple regression analyses.

RESULTS

There were significant associations of the four domains of psychological stress with anxiety and depressive symptoms, except for the relationship between 'reduced economic condition' and depressive symptoms. 'Negative coping style' significantly increased the level of both anxiety and depressive symptoms; whereas, 'active coping style' and 'avoidant coping style' decreased the risk of depressive symptoms. The interactions of 'negative coping style' with 'worrying about decline in body/physical function' and 'reduced economic condition' significantly increased the risk of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and the interaction of 'social/family crisis caused by the disease' with 'avoidance coping style' and 'worrying about decline in body/physical function' with 'active coping style' significantly decreased the risk of depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that certain coping styles might moderate the association of psychological stress with anxiety and depressive symptoms in Chinese patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes and poor disease control: is comorbid depression associated with poor medication adherence or lack of treatment intensification?

OBJECTIVE

To hypothesize that patients with comorbid depression and diabetes and poor disease control will have poorer adherence to disease control medication and less likelihood of physician intensification of treatment. Many patients with diabetes fail to achieve American Diabetes Association Guidelines for glycemic, blood pressure and lipid control. Depression is a common comorbidity and may affect disease control through adverse effects on adherence and physician intensification of treatment.

METHODS

In a cohort of 4117 patients with diabetes, depression was measured at baseline with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Patient adherence and physician intensification of treatment were measured in those who had evidence of poor disease control (HbA(1c) >or=8.0%, LDL >or=130 mg/dL, systolic blood pressure >or=140 mm Hg) over this 5-year period. Poor adherence was defined as having medication refill gaps for >or=20% of days covered for medications prescribed for each of these conditions. Treatment intensification was defined as an increased medication dosage in a class, an increase in the number of medication classes, or a switch to a different class within 3-month periods before and after notation of above target levels.

RESULTS

Among patients with diabetes and poor disease control, depression was associated with an increased likelihood of poor adherence to diabetes control medications (odds ratio [OR] = 1.98; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.31, 2.98), antihypertensives (OR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.47, 2.88), and LDL control medications (OR = 2.43; 95% CI = 1.19, 4.97). In patients with poor disease control who were adherent to medication or not yet started on a medication, depression was not associated with differences in likelihood of physician intensification of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with diabetes and poor disease control, depression is an important risk factor for poor patient adherence to medications, but not lack of treatment intensification by physicians.

Economic evaluation of a minimal psychological intervention in chronically ill elderly patients with minor or mild to moderate depression: A randomized trial (the DELTA-study)

Objectives: Depression is associated with high healthcare utilization and related costs. Effective treatments might reduce the economic burden. The objective of this study was to establish the cost-utility of a minimal psychological intervention (MPI) aimed at reducing depression and improving quality of life in elderly persons with diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and co-occurring minor, mild, or moderate depression.

Methods: Trial-based cost-utility analysis was used to compare the MPI with usual care. Annual costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) based on the Euroqol (EQ5D) and on depression-free days were calculated.

Results: Annual costs and effects were not significantly different for the MPI group and care as usual. Bootstrap analysis indicated a dominant intervention, with a probability of 63 percent that the MPI is less costly and more effective than usual care.

Conclusions: The cost-effectiveness analysis does not support dissemination of the MPI in its current form. The economic evaluation study showed limited probability that MPI is cost-effective over usual care. Further adjustments to the MPI are needed to make the intervention suitable for dissemination in regular care. Trial registration: isrctn.org, identifier: ISRCTN92331982.

Psychiatrists for medically complex patients: bringing value at the physical health and mental health/substance-use disorder interface

BACKGROUND

In their current configuration, traditional reactive consultation-liaison services see a small percentage of the general-hospital patients who could benefit from their care. These services are poorly reimbursed and bring limited value in terms of clinical improvement and reduction in health-service use.

METHOD

The authors examine models of cross-disciplinary, integrated health services that have been shown to promote health and lower cost in medically-complex patients, those with complicated admixtures of physical, mental, social, and health-system difficulties.

CONCLUSION

Psychiatrists who specialize in the treatment of medically-complex patients must now consider a transition from traditional consultation to proactive, value-added programs and bill for services from medical, rather than behavioral, insurance dollars, since the majority of health-enhancement and cost-savings from these programs occur in the medical sector. The authors provide the clinical and financial arguments for such program-creation and the steps that can be taken as psychiatrists for medically-complex patients move to the next generation of interdisciplinary service.

Stepped care treatment of postpartum depression: impact on treatment, health, and work outcomes

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to pilot a stepped collaborative care intervention for women with postpartum depression and evaluate health differences between self-diagnosed depressed and nondepressed women.

METHODS

Five hundred six mothers of infants from 7 clinics completed surveys at 0 to 1, 2, 4, 6, and 9 months postpartum and a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). SCID-positive depressed women were randomized to stepped collaborative care or usual care. Nine-month treatment, health, and work outcomes were evaluated for stepped care women (n = 19) versus control depressed women (n = 20), and self-diagnosed depressed women (n = 122) versus nondepressed women (n = 344).

RESULTS

Forty-five women had SCID-positive depression whereas 122 had self-diagnosed depression. For SCID-positive depressed women, the stepped care intervention increased mothers' awareness of their depression diagnosis (100% vs 61%; P = .008) and their receipt of treatment (94% vs 56%; P = .019). Self-diagnosed depressed women (vs nondepressed women) had more depressive symptoms and acute care visits, worse general and mental health, and greater impact of health problems on regular activities.

CONCLUSIONS

The stepped care intervention improved women's knowledge of their postpartum depression diagnosis and their receipt of treatment. However, our formal diagnostic procedures missed many women whose depressed mood interfered with their health and function.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of cognitive behaviour therapy for treatment of minor or mild-major depression in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes: study protocol for the economic evaluation alongside the MIND-DIA randomized controlled trial (MIND-DIA CEA)

BACKGROUND

Depression and elevated depression symptoms are more prevalent in patients with type 2 diabetes than in those without diabetes and are associated with adverse health outcomes and increased total healthcare utilization. This suggests that more effective depression treatment might not only improve health outcome, but also reduce costs. However, there is a lack of evidence on (cost-) effectiveness of treatment options for minor and mild-major depression in patients with type 2 diabetes. In this paper we describe the design and methods of the economic evaluation, which will be conducted alongside the MIND-DIA trial (Cognitive behaviour therapy in elderly type 2 diabetes patients with minor or mild-major depression). The objective of the economic evaluation (MIND-DIA CEA) is to examine incremental cost-effectiveness of a diabetes specific cognitive behaviour group therapy (CBT) as compared to intensified treatment as usual (TAU) and to a guided self-help group intervention (SH).

METHODS/DESIGN

Patients will be followed for 15 months. During this period data on health sector costs, patient costs and societal productivity/time costs will be collected in addition to clinical data. Person-years free of moderate/severe major depression, quality adjusted life years (QALYs), and cumulative costs will be estimated for each arm of the trial (CBT, TAU and SH). To determine cost-effectiveness of the CBT, differences in costs and effects between the CBT group and TAU/SH group will be calculated.

DISCUSSION

CBT is a potentially effective treatment option to improve quality of life and to avoid the onset of a moderate/severe major depression in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and minor or mild-major depression. This hypothesis will be evaluated in the MIND-DIA trial. Based on these results the associated economic evaluation will provide additional evidence on the cost-effectiveness of CBT in this target population. Methodological strengths and weaknesses of the planned economic evaluation are discussed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The MIND-DIA study has been registered at the Current Controlled Trials Register (ISRCTN58007098).

Does diabetes double the risk of depression?

PURPOSE

In this study, we compared the rate of depression diagnoses in adults with and without diabetes mellitus, while carefully controlling for number of primary care visits.

METHODS

We matched adults with incident diabetes (n = 2,932) or prevalent diabetes (n = 14,144) to nondiabetic control patients based on (1) age and sex, or (2) age, sex, and number of outpatient primary care visits. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between various predictors and a diagnosis of depression in each diabetes cohort relative to matched nondiabetic control patients.

RESULTS

With matching for age and sex alone, patients with prevalent diabetes having few primary care visits were significantly more likely to have a new depression diagnosis than matched control patients (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-1.80), but this relationship diminished when patients made more than 10 primary care visits (OR = 0.95, 95% CI, 0.77-1.17). With additional matching for number of primary care visits, patients with prevalent diabetes mellitus with few primary care visits were more likely to have a new diagnosis of depression than those in control group (OR = 1.32, 95% CI, 1.07-1.63), but this relationship diminished and reversed when patients made more than 4 primary care visits (OR = 0.99, 95% CI, 0.80-1.23). Similar results were observed in the subset of patients with incident diabetes and their matched control patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with diabetes have little or no increase in the risk of a new diagnosis of depression relative to nondiabetic patients when analyses carefully control for the number of outpatient visits. Studies showing such an association may have inadequately adjusted for comorbidity or for exposure to the medical care system.

A retrospective study on the impact of comorbid depression or anxiety on healthcare resource use and costs among diabetic neuropathy patients

Background

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a common complication of diabetes that has significant economic burden, especially for patients with comorbid depression or anxiety. This study examines and quantifies factors associated with healthcare costs among patients diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy (DN) with or without a comorbid diagnosis of depression or anxiety (DA) using retrospective administrative claims data. No study has examined the differences in economic outcomes depending on the presence of comorbid DA disorders.

Methods

Over-age-18 individuals with 1+ diagnosis of DN in 2005 were selected. The first observed DN claim was considered the "index date." All individuals had a 12-month pre-index and follow-up period. For both under-age-65 commercially insured and over-age-65 individuals with employer-sponsored Medicare supplemental insurance, we constructed 2 subgroups for individuals with DA (DN-DA) or without (DN-only). Patients' clinical characteristics over pre-index period were compared. Multivariate regressions were performed to assess whether DN-DA patients had higher utilization of healthcare resources and costs than DN-only patients, controlling for demographic and clinical characteristics.

Results

We identified 16,831 DN-only and 1,699 DN-DA patients in the Medicare supplemental cohort, as well as 17,205 and 3,105 in the commercially insured. DN-DA patients had higher prevalence of diabetes-related comorbidities for cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular/peripheral vascular disease, nephropathy, obesity, and hypoglycemic events than DN-only patients (all p < 0.05). Controlling for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, DN-DA patients had $9,235 (p < 0.05) higher total healthcare costs than patients with DN-only among those with Medicare supplemental coverage ($26,718 vs. $17,483), and $10,389 (p < 0.05) more total costs among commercially insured ($29,775 vs. $19,386). Factors associated with increased costs included insurance type, geographical region, diabetes-related comorbidities, and insulin therapy.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that the healthcare costs were significantly higher for DN patients with depression or anxiety relative to those without such comorbid disorders.

System factors affect the recognition and management of posttraumatic stress disorder by primary care clinicians

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common with an estimated prevalence of 8% in the general population and up to 17% in primary care patients. Yet, little is known about what determines primary care clinician's (PCC's) provision of PTSD care.

OBJECTIVE

To describe PCC's reported recognition and management of PTSD and identify how system factors affect the likelihood of performing clinical actions with regard to patients with PTSD or "PTSD treatment proclivity."

DESIGN

Linked cross-sectional surveys of medical directors and PCCs.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-six medical directors and 154 PCCs in community health centers (CHCs) within a practice-based research network in New York and New Jersey.

MEASUREMENTS

Two system factors (degree of integration between primary care and mental health services, and existence of linkages with other community, social, and legal services) as reported by medical directors, and PCC reports of self-confidence, perceived barriers, and PTSD treatment proclivity.

RESULTS

Surveys from 47 (of 58) medical directors (81% response rate) and 154 PCCs (86% response rate). PCCs from CHCs with better mental health integration reported greater confidence, fewer barriers, and higher PTSD treatment proclivity (all P < 0.05). The PCCs in CHCs with better community linkages reported greater confidence, fewer barriers, higher PTSD treatment proclivity, and lower proclivity to refer patients to mental health specialists or to use a "watch and wait" approach (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

System factors play an important role in PCC PTSD management. Interventions are needed that restructure primary care practices by making mental health services more integrated and community linkages stronger.

Perceived barriers to treatment for adolescent depression

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Adolescent depression is common, disabling, and is associated with academic, social, behavioral, and health consequences. Despite the availability of evidence-based depression care, few teens receive it, even when recognized by primary care clinicians. Perceived barriers such as teen worry about what others think or parent concerns about cost and access to care may contribute to low rates of care. We sought to better understand perceived barriers and their impact on service use.

DESIGN

After completing an eligibility and diagnostic telephone interview, all depressed teens and a matched sample of nondepressed teens recruited from 7 primary care practices were enrolled and completed telephone interviews at baseline and 6 months (August 2005-September 2006).

PARTICIPANTS

Three hundred sixty-eight adolescent patients aged 13 to 17 (184 depressed and 184 nondepressed) and 338 of their parents.

MEASURES

Perceived barriers to depression care and use of services for depression (psychotherapy and antidepressant medication).

RESULTS

Teens with depression were significantly more likely to perceive barriers to care compared with nondepressed teens. Parents were less likely to report barriers than their teens; perceived stigma and concern about family member response were among the significant teen barriers. Teen perceived barriers scores were negatively associated with any use of antidepressants (P < 0.01), use of antidepressants for at least 1 month (P < 0.001), and any psychotherapy or antidepressant use (P < 0.05) at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

To improve treatment for adolescent depression, interventions should address both teen and parent perceived barriers and primary care clinicians should elicit information from both adolescents and their parents.

Antidepressant use in black and white populations in the United States

OBJECTIVE

The study objective was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of antidepressant use by black and white Americans.

METHODS

Data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) were analyzed to calculate nationally representative estimates of past-year antidepressant use by black and white Americans ages 18 years and older (N=9,723).

RESULTS

Among individuals with depressive and anxiety disorders in the past year (N=516), black respondents (14.6%) had significantly lower (p<.001) antidepressant use than white respondents (32.4%). Depression severity was significantly associated with higher antidepressant use for white but not for black respondents. Psychiatric disorders and vascular disease significantly increased the odds of past-year antidepressant use. The increased prevalence of antidepressant use associated with vascular disease was independent of diagnosable psychiatric disorders. Among respondents not meeting criteria for depressive and anxiety disorders in the past year, lifetime depressive and anxiety disorders and vascular disease significantly increased the odds of antidepressant use.

CONCLUSIONS

Few white and fewer black Americans with depressive and anxiety disorders received antidepressant treatment. Higher depression severity was associated with more antidepressant use for white but not for black respondents. Antidepressant use was associated with medical conditions related to vascular disease, and these medical conditions were independent of coexisting psychiatric conditions. The results also indicate that many antidepressants are used for maintenance pharmacotherapy for depressive and anxiety disorders as well as common medical conditions associated with vascular disease.

Prevalence and correlates of undiagnosed depression among U.S. adults with diabetes: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2006

AIMS

Many people with depression may be undiagnosed and thus untreated. We sought to assess the prevalence and correlates of undiagnosed depression among adults with diabetes.

METHODS

Data of U.S. adults from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2006 were analyzed. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of correlates for undiagnosed depression.

RESULTS

The unadjusted and age-adjusted prevalences of undiagnosed depression were 8.7% and 9.2%. About 45% of diabetes patients with depression were undiagnosed. After adjustments for all correlates, female gender (PR, 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.8), poor or fair health (PR, 2.8; 95% CI: 2.1-3.6), lack of social and emotional support (PR, 2.5; 95% CI: 1.8-3.3), life dissatisfaction (PR, 3.5; 95% CI: 2.2-5.5), use of special equipment (PR, 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.8), no leisure-time physical activity (PR, 1.5; 95% CI: 1.2-1.9), and comorbid cardiovascular disease (PR, 1.5; 95% CI: 1.2-1.9) were associated with undiagnosed depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Undiagnosed depression among people with diabetes was common. Because depression is associated with increased risk of diabetes-related complications, early detection of depression is needed in clinical settings.

Depression and diabetes among low-income Hispanics: design elements of a socioculturally adapted collaborative care model randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

This article describes design elements of the Multifaceted Depression and Diabetes Program (MDDP) randomized clinical trial. The MDDP trial hypothesizes that a socioculturally adapted collaborative care depression management intervention will reduce depressive symptoms and improve patient adherence to diabetes self-care regimens, glycemic control, and quality-of-life. In addition, baseline data of 387 low-income, 96% Hispanic, enrolled patients with major depression and diabetes are examined to identify study population characteristics consistent with trial design adaptations.

METHODS

The PHQ-9 depression scale was used to identify patients meeting criteria for major depressive disorder (1 cardinal depression symptom + a PHQ-9 score of > or = 10) from two community safety net clinics. Design elements included sociocultural adaptations in recruitment and efforts to reduce attrition and collaborative depression care management.

RESULTS

Of 1,803 diabetes patients screened, 30.2% met criteria for major depressive disorder. Of 387 patients enrolled in the clinical trial, 98% had Type 2 diabetes, and 83% had glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels > or = 7%. Study recruitment rates and baseline data analyses identified socioeconomic and clinical factors that support trial design and intervention adaptations. Depression severity was significantly associated with diabetes complications, medical comorbidity, greater anxiety, dysthymia, financial worries, social stress, and poorer quality-of-life.

CONCLUSION

Low-income Hispanic patients with diabetes experience high prevalence of depressive disorder and depression severity is associated with socioeconomic stressors and clinical severity. Improving depression care management among Hispanic patients in public sector clinics should include intervention components that address self-care of diabetes and socioeconomic stressors.

Costs and Benefits Associated With Diabetes Education A Review of the Literature

Purpose The purpose of this article was to review the published literature and evaluate the economic benefits and costs associated with diabetes education.

Methods The Medline database (1991-2006) and Google were searched. Articles that addressed the economic and/or financial outcomes of a diabetes-related self-care or educational intervention were included. The study aim, population, design, intervention, financial and economic outcomes, results, and conclusions were extracted from eligible articles.

Results Twenty-six papers were identified that addressed diabetes self-management training and education. Study designs included meta-analysis (1); randomized controlled trials (8); prospective, quasi-experimental, and pre-post studies (8); and retrospective database analyses (9). The studies conducted cost analyses (6), cost-effectiveness analyses (13), cost-utilization analyses (7), and number needed to treat analyses (2). More than half (18) of the 26 papers identified by the literature review reported findings that associated diabetes education (and disease management) with decreased cost, cost saving, cost-effectiveness, or positive return on investment. Four studies reported neutral results, 1 study found that costs increased, and 3 studies did not fit into these categories.

Conclusions The findings indicate that the benefits associated with education on self-management and lifestyle modification for people with diabetes are positive and outweigh the costs associated with the intervention. More research is needed to validate that diabetes education provided by diabetes educators is cost-effective.

Improving efficiency and access to mental health care: combining integrated care and advanced access

OBJECTIVE

To provide an example of implementation of a new program that enhances access to mental health care in primary care.

METHOD

A general and specialized mental health service was redesigned to introduce open access to comprehensive mental health care in a primary care clinic. Key variables measured before and after implementation of the clinic included numbers of completed referrals, waiting time for appointments and clinic productivity. Workload and pre/post-implementation waiting time data were gathered through a computerized electronic monitoring system.

RESULTS

Waiting time for new appointments was shortened from a mean of 33 days to 19 min. Clinician productivity and evaluations of new referrals more than doubled. These improvements have been sustained for 4 years.

CONCLUSION

Moving mental health services into primary care, initiating open access and increasing use of technological aids led to dramatic improvements in access to mental health care and efficient use of resources. Implementation and sustainability of the program were enhanced by using a quality improvement approach.

The comorbidity of diabetes mellitus and depression

Several factors, including sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and an aging population, contribute to epidemic rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Depression frequently occurs comorbidly with diabetes although it is unrecognized and untreated in approximately two thirds of patients with both conditions. The course of depression in patients with both diabetes and depression is chronic and severe. Up to 80% of patients with diabetes and depression will experience a relapse of depressive symptoms over a 5-year period. Depression is associated with nonadherence to diabetes self-care--including following dietary restrictions, medication compliance, and blood glucose monitoring--resulting in worse overall clinical outcomes. Due to potential negative health consequences associated with comorbid diabetes and depression, both conditions should be optimally treated to maximize patient outcomes.

Health-related quality of life among adults with serious psychological distress and chronic medical conditions

OBJECTIVE

Determine the prevalence of serious psychological distress (SPD) among adults with and without chronic medical conditions and examine the association between SPD and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from the 2005 Los Angeles County Health Survey were used to estimate prevalence of SPD. The association between SPD and HRQOL was evaluated using logistic regression and analysis of covariance, adjusting for sociodemographic variables and number of chronic conditions.

RESULTS

SPD was significantly associated with younger age, lower income, being unemployed or disabled, being unmarried, fair or poor health, and having one or more chronic conditions. Adults with three or more chronic conditions were six times as likely to have SPD as those with no conditions. Adults with SPD reported significantly more unhealthy days (mental and physical) and activity limitation days than adults without SPD. The adjusted mean number of unhealthy days was highest among adults with SPD (23.3), followed by adults with depression (14.1), and diabetes (10.6).

CONCLUSIONS

SPD is associated with decreased HRQOL and presence of chronic medical conditions. Mental health should be routinely assessed when addressing health needs of individuals and communities. Persons with chronic diseases may benefit from targeted mental health screening and programs that employ treatment approaches that jointly manage physical and mental health and provide improved links and access to services.

Population-based care of depression: team care approaches to improving outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To describe evidence-based quality improvement interventions in the primary care system that have been shown in randomized trials to the improve quality of care and outcomes of patients with depression.

METHODS

Medical literature review, focused on the concept of population-based care and research-proven ways to decrease the prevalence of depression in primary care, including several meta-analyses that described the effect of collaborative care interventions in improving the quality and outcomes of primary care patients with depression.

RESULTS

A total of 37 randomized trials of collaborative care interventions have shown that collaborative care, compared with usual primary care, is associated with 2-fold increases in antidepressant adherence, improvements in depressive outcomes that last up to 2 to 5 years, increased patient satisfaction with depression care, and improved primary care satisfaction with treating depression. From a health plan perspective, cost-effectiveness analyses suggest that for most depressed primary care patients, collaborative care is associated with a modest increase in medical costs, but markedly improved depression and functional outcomes. The few studies that have used a societal perspective that included examination of both direct and indirect costs found that collaborative care was associated with overall cost savings. For patients with depression and diabetes and depression and panic disorder, there is evidence that the increase in mental health care costs associated with collaborative care is offset by greater savings in medical costs.

CONCLUSION

Collaborative care is a high value intervention associated with improved quality of care, depression outcomes, and improved patient and primary care physician satisfaction.

Improving treatment of depression among Latinos with diabetes using project Dulce and IMPACT

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility and cost of integrating diabetes and depression care management in three community clinics serving a low-income and predominantly Spanish-speaking Latino population.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We screened diabetes patients for depression, and for those with depressive symptoms, we provided depression care management. We assessed changes in depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), diabetes self-care activities (nutrition, exercise, and medication adherence), and costs.

RESULTS

Thirty-three percent of patients with diabetes had symptoms of major depression. Among 99 patients completing the study, PHQ-9 scores declined by an average of 7.5 points from 14.8 to 7.3 (P < 0.001). Clients averaged 6.7 visits with the care manager during the study period. Costs of depression care management were estimated to be $512 per participant.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding a depression care manager to an existing diabetes management team was effective at reducing depressive symptoms at a reasonable cost.

A common factors approach to improving the mental health capacity of pediatric primary care

To expand the mental health service capacity of pediatric primary care, we ask whether there are evidence-based skills to allow providers to 1) immediately begin treatment for children with emotional and behavioral problems while diagnostic procedures are being pursued, and 2) offer evidence-based care to children who do not meet criteria for a specific diagnosis. We discuss why the epidemiology of child mental health problems poses difficulties for disorder-specific mental health interventions, and review evidence that "common factors" contributing to the outcome of mental health treatments define a core set of skills that primary care providers might use to complement disorder-specific interventions.

A common factors approach to improving the mental health capacity of pediatric primary care

To expand the mental health service capacity of pediatric primary care, we ask whether there are evidence-based skills to allow providers to 1) immediately begin treatment for children with emotional and behavioral problems while diagnostic procedures are being pursued, and 2) offer evidence-based care to children who do not meet criteria for a specific diagnosis. We discuss why the epidemiology of child mental health problems poses difficulties for disorder-specific mental health interventions, and review evidence that "common factors" contributing to the outcome of mental health treatments define a core set of skills that primary care providers might use to complement disorder-specific interventions.

Long-term effects on medical costs of improving depression outcomes in patients with depression and diabetes

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the 5-year effects on total health care costs of the Pathways depression intervention program for patients with diabetes and comorbid depression compared with usual primary care.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The Pathways Study was conducted in nine primary care practices of a large HMO and enrolled 329 patients with diabetes and comorbid major depression. The current study analyzed the differences in long-term medical costs between intervention and usual care patients. Participants were randomly assigned to a nurse depression intervention (n = 164) or to usual primary care (n = 165). The intervention included education about depression, behavioral activation, and a choice of either starting with support of antidepressant medication treatment by the primary care doctor or problem-solving therapy in primary care. Interventions were provided for up to 12 months, and the main outcome measures are health costs over a 5-year period.

RESULTS

Patients in the intervention arm of the study had improved depression outcomes and trends for reduced 5-year mean total medical costs of -$3,907 (95% CI -$15,454 less to $7,640 more) compared with usual care patients. A sensitivity analysis found that these cost differences were largely explained by the patients with depression and the most severe medical comorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

The Pathways depression collaborative care program improved depression outcomes compared with usual care with no evidence of greater long-term costs and with trends for reduced costs among the more severely medically ill patients with diabetes.

Population-based care of depression: team care approaches to improving outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To describe evidence-based quality improvement interventions in the primary care system that have been shown in randomized trials to the improve quality of care and outcomes of patients with depression.

METHODS

Medical literature review, focused on the concept of population-based care and research-proven ways to decrease the prevalence of depression in primary care, including several meta-analyses that described the effect of collaborative care interventions in improving the quality and outcomes of primary care patients with depression.

RESULTS

A total of 37 randomized trials of collaborative care interventions have shown that collaborative care, compared with usual primary care, is associated with 2-fold increases in antidepressant adherence, improvements in depressive outcomes that last up to 2 to 5 years, increased patient satisfaction with depression care, and improved primary care satisfaction with treating depression. From a health plan perspective, cost-effectiveness analyses suggest that for most depressed primary care patients, collaborative care is associated with a modest increase in medical costs, but markedly improved depression and functional outcomes. The few studies that have used a societal perspective that included examination of both direct and indirect costs found that collaborative care was associated with overall cost savings. For patients with depression and diabetes and depression and panic disorder, there is evidence that the increase in mental health care costs associated with collaborative care is offset by greater savings in medical costs.

CONCLUSION

Collaborative care is a high value intervention associated with improved quality of care, depression outcomes, and improved patient and primary care physician satisfaction.

Stepped care treatment of postpartum depression: a primary care-based management model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Postpartum depression (PPD), the most prevalent serious postpartum complication, is a devastating illness that negatively impacts not only the mother, but also her infant, other family members, and work performance. There is an extensive body of research addressing systems-based quality improvement efforts for treatment of depression in primary care populations; however, little of this research has been directed toward postpartum populations. This paper presents a health care systems-based quality improvement model for the treatment of PPD derived from research outcomes in general primary care populations.

METHODS

OVID/MEDLINE and PsychINFO searches were performed using the following terms: depression, postpartum depression, mass screening, collaborative care, stepped care, psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and education as keywords.

MAIN FINDINGS

The PPD management model described herein includes screening and diagnosis, initiation of active treatment, and use of collaborative care, which includes primary care visits, case manager follow-up, and more intensive care, through specialty consultation or referral, for complicated or difficult cases.

CONCLUSION

Stepped care, a form of collaborative depression treatment, is proposed as a practical, cost-effective method for improving PPD diagnosis and clinical outcomes.

Interventions in organizational and community context: a framework for building evidence on dissemination and implementation in health services research

The effective dissemination and implementation of evidence-based health interventions within community settings is an important cornerstone to expanding the availability of quality health and mental health services. Yet it has proven a challenging task for both research and community stakeholders. This paper presents the current framework developed by the UCLA/RAND NIMH Center to address this research-to-practice gap by: (1) providing a theoretically-grounded understanding of the multi-layered nature of community and healthcare contexts and the mechanisms by which new practices and programs diffuse within these settings; (2) distinguishing among key components of the diffusion process-including contextual factors, adoption, implementation, and sustainment of interventions-showing how evaluation of each is necessary to explain the course of dissemination and outcomes for individual and organizational stakeholders; (3) facilitating the identification of new strategies for adapting, disseminating, and implementing relatively complex, evidence-based healthcare and improvement interventions, particularly using a community-based, participatory approach; and (4) enhancing the ability to meaningfully generalize findings across varied interventions and settings to build an evidence base on successful dissemination and implementation strategies.

Financing mental health and substance use disorder care within physical health: a look to the future

After sharing several case examples of health care for patients who have mental health/substance use disorders (MH/SUDs) in the current health care environment, this article describes the advantages that would occur if assessment and treatment of MH/SUDs became a clinical, administrative, and financial part of physical health with common provider networks, the ability to combine service locations (integrated clinics and inpatient units), similar coding and billing procedures, and a single funding pool. Because transition to such a system is complicated, the article then describes several process changes that would be required for integrated service delivery to take place.

Collaborative depression care, screening, diagnosis and specificity of depression treatments in the primary care setting

The identification, referral and specific treatment of midlife patients in primary care who are distressed by mood, anxiety, sleep and stress-related symptoms, with or without clinically confirmed menopausal symptoms, are confounded by many structural issues in the delivery of women's healthcare. Diagnosis, care delivery, affordability of treatment, time commitment for treatment, treatment specificity for a particular patient's symptoms and patient receptiveness to diagnosis and treatment all play roles in the successful amelioration of symptoms in this patient population. The value of screening for depression in primary care, the limitations of commonly used screening instruments relative to culture and ethnicity, and which clinical care systems make best use of diagnostic screening programs will be discussed in the context of the midlife woman. The Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) program illustrates the relatively high rate of unremitted patients, regardless of clinical setting, who are receiving antidepressants. Nonmedication treatment approaches, referred to in the literature as 'nonsomatic treatments', for depression, anxiety and stress, include different forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, structured daily activities, mindfulness therapies, relaxation treatment protocols and exercise. The specificity of these treatments, their mechanisms of action, the motivation and time commitment required of patients, and the availability of trained practitioners to deliver them are reviewed. Midlife women with menopausal symptoms and depression/anxiety comorbidity represent a challenging patient population for whom an individualized treatment plan is often necessary. Treatment for depression comorbid with distressing menopausal symptoms would be facilitated by the implementation of a collaborative care program for depression in the primary care setting.

The effect of comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders on health care utilization and costs among adolescents with asthma

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether youth with asthma and comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders have higher health care utilization and costs than youth with asthma alone.

METHODS

A telephone survey was conducted among 767 adolescents (aged 11 to 17 years) with asthma. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-4th Version (DSM-IV) anxiety and depressive disorders were assessed via the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. Health care utilization and costs in the 12 months pre- and 6 months post-interview were obtained from computerized health plan records. Multivariate analyses were used to determine the impact of comorbid depression and anxiety on medical utilization and costs.

RESULTS

Unadjusted analyses showed that compared to youth with asthma alone, youth with comorbid anxiety/depressive disorders had more primary care visits, emergency department visits, outpatient mental health specialty visits, other outpatient visits and pharmacy fills. After controlling for asthma severity and covariates, total health care costs were approximately 51% higher for youth with depression with or without an anxiety disorder but not for youth with an anxiety disorder alone. Most of the increase in health care costs was attributable to nonasthma and non-mental health-related increases in primary care and laboratory/radiology expenditures.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth with asthma and comorbid depressive disorders have significantly higher health care utilization and costs. Most of these costs are due to increases in non-mental health and nonasthma expenses. Further study is warranted to evaluate whether improved mental health treatment and resulting increases in mental health costs would be balanced by savings in medical costs.