Collaborative care to improve the management of depressive disorders: a community guide systematic review and meta-analysis

Collaborative care for patients with depression and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Diabetic patients with depression are often inadequately treated within primary care. These comorbid conditions are associated with poor outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to examine whether collaborative care can improve depression and diabetes outcomes in patients with both depression and diabetes.

METHODS

Medline, Embase, Cochrane library and PsyINFO were systematically searched to identify relevant publications. All randomized controlled trials of collaborative care for diabetic patients with depression of all ages who were reported by depression treatment response, depression remission, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values, adherence to antidepressant medication and/or oral hypoglycemic agent were included. Two authors independently screened search results and extracted data from eligible studies. Dichotomous and continuous measures of outcomes were combined using risk ratios (RRs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) either by fixed or random-effects models.

RESULTS

Eight studies containing 2,238 patients met the inclusion criteria. Collaborative care showed a significant improvement in depression treatment response (RR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.05-1.68), depression remission (adjusted RR = 1.53, 95% CI =1.11-2.12), higher rates of adherence to antidepressant medication (RR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.19-2.69) and oral hypoglycemic agent (RR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.61-2.96), but indicated a non-significant reduction in HbA1c values (MD = -0.13, 95% CI = -0.46-0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Improving depression care in diabetic patients is very necessary and important. Comparing with usual care, collaborative care was associated with significantly better depressive outcomes and adherence in patients with depression and diabetes. These findings emphasize the implications for collaborative care of diabetic patients with depression in the future.

The effects of care management on depression treatment in a psychiatric clinic: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine whether care management has an effect on adherence to depression treatment in a psychiatric clinic in Korea.

METHODS

Fifty-seven patients with depression aged 60 years or over participated in the study. They were all low-income patients screened in the community and treated in a psychiatric clinic. The study design was a double-blind randomized controlled trial. The patients were randomly assigned to intervention (n = 29) or usual care (n = 28) groups. Intervention patients received depression care management for 6 months. Primary endpoint was an increase in remission rate as assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score at 6 months. Secondary endpoints included improvement in treatment adherence, improvement in health-related quality of life, and a reduction in feelings of hopelessness.

RESULTS

Patients in the care management intervention group showed a higher remission rate than those in the usual care group (55% vs. 29%, p = 0.0421). Intervention patients were significantly more likely to adhere to the treatment (59% vs. 18%, p = 0.0016). The hopelessness score at the 6-month assessment was significantly lower in the intervention group than the usual care group (23.5 vs. 25.7, p = 0.0443). However, there was not a significant group difference in the quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that care management not only contributed to reducing depressive symptoms in geriatric patients suffering from depression but also increased the treatment adherence rate, which in turn increased the remission rate. Care management intervention is both feasible and effective in psychiatric clinics in Korea.

Structured pro-active care for chronic depression by practice nurses in primary care: a qualitative evaluation

PURPOSE

This qualitative study explored the impact and appropriateness of structured pro-active care reviews by practice nurses for patients with chronic or recurrent depression and dysthymia within the ProCEED trial. ProCEED (Pro-active Care and its Evaluation for Enduring Depression) was a United Kingdom wide randomised controlled trial, comparing usual general practitioner care with structured 'pro-active care' which involved 3 monthly review appointments with practice nurses over 2 years for patients with chronic or recurrent depression.

METHOD

In-depth interviews were completed with 41 participants: 26 patients receiving pro-active care and 15 practice nurses providing this care. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically using a 'framework' approach.

RESULTS

Patients perceived the practice nurses to be appropriate professionals to engage with regarding their depression and most nurses felt confident in a case management role. The development of a therapeutic alliance between the patient and nurse was central to this model and, where it appeared lacking, dissatisfaction was felt by both patients and nurses with a likely negative impact on outcomes. Patient and nurse factors impacting on the therapeutic alliance were identified and nurse typologies explored.

DISCUSSION

Pro-active care reviews utilising practice nurses as case managers were found acceptable by the majority of patients and practice nurses and may be a suitable way to provide care for patients with long-term depression in primary care. Motivated and interested practice nurses could be an appropriate and valuable resource for this patient group. This has implications for resource decisions by clinicians and commissioners within primary care.

Teamwork in primary care: perspectives of general practitioners and community nurses in Lithuania

BACKGROUND

A team approach in primary care has proven benefits in achieving better outcomes, reducing health care costs, satisfying patient needs, ensuring continuity of care, increasing job satisfaction among health providers and using human health care resources more efficiently. However, some research indicates constraints in collaboration within primary health care (PHC) teams in Lithuania. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon of teamwork in Lithuania by exploring the experiences of teamwork by general practitioners (GPs) and community nurses (CNs) involved in PHC.

METHODS

Six focus groups were formed with 29 GPs and 27 CNs from the Kaunas Region of Lithuania. Discussions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis of these data was then performed.

RESULTS

The analysis of focus group data identified six thematic categories related to teamwork in PHC: the structure of a PHC team, synergy among PHC team members, descriptions of roles and responsibilities of team members, competencies of PHC team members, communications between PHC team members and the organisational background for teamwork. These findings provide the basis for a discussion of a thematic model of teamwork that embraces formal, individual and organisational factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The need for effective teamwork in PHC is an issue receiving broad consensus; however, the process of teambuilding is often taken for granted in the PHC sector in Lithuania. This study suggests that both formal and individual behavioural factors should be targeted when aiming to strengthen PHC teams. Furthermore, this study underscores the need to provide explicit formal descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of PHC team members in Lithuania, which would include establishing clear professional boundaries. The training of team members is an essential component of the teambuilding process, but not sufficient by itself.

Mental health collaborative care and its role in primary care settings

Collaborative care models (CCMs) provide a pragmatic strategy to deliver integrated mental health and medical care for persons with mental health conditions served in primary care settings. CCMs are team-based intervention to enact system-level redesign by improving patient care through organizational leadership support, provider decision support, and clinical information systems, as well as engaging patients in their care through self-management support and linkages to community resources. The model is also a cost-efficient strategy for primary care practices to improve outcomes for a range of mental health conditions across populations and settings. CCMs can help achieve integrated care aims underhealth care reform yet organizational and financial issues may affect adoption into routine primary care. Notably, successful implementation of CCMs in routine care will require alignment of financial incentives to support systems redesign investments, reimbursements for mental health providers, and adaptation across different practice settings and infrastructure to offer all CCM components.

Effects of concurrent low back conditions on depression outcomes

CONTEXT

Depression and low back problems are common issues in primary care.

OBJECTIVE

To compare 6-month depression outcomes (specifically, clinical results and number of outpatient visits) in patients with or without comorbid low back conditions (LBCs). The authors hypothesized that the presence of an LBC within 3 months of the diagnosis of depression would negatively affect clinical outcomes of depression treatment after 6 months.

DESIGN

Retrospective record review.

SETTING

Collaborative care management program in a large primary care practice.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with a diagnosis of depression enrolled in collaborative care management (N=1326), including 172 with and 1154 without evidence of an LBC within 3 months of enrollment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Clinical depression outcomes (remission and persistent depressive symptoms) and number of outpatient visits at 6 months.

RESULTS

Regression modeling for clinical remission and persistent depressive symptoms at 6 months demonstrated that LBCs were not an independent factor affecting clinical remission (P=.24) but were associated with persistent depressive symptoms (odds ratio, 1.559; 95% confidence interval, 1.065-2.282; P=.02); LBCs remained an independent predictor of outlier status for outpatient visits (≥8 clinical visits after 6 months of enrollment), with an odds ratio of 1.581 (95% confidence interval, 1.086-2.30; P=.02).

CONCLUSION

Increased odds of persistent depressive symptoms and increased number of outpatient visits were found in patients with depression and concomitant LBCs 6 months after enrollment into collaborative care management, compared with those in patients with depression and without LBCs. The data suggest that temporally related LBCs could lead to worse outcomes in primary care patients being treated for depression, encouraging closer observation and possible therapeutic changes in this cohort.

Integration of depression and primary care: barriers to adoption

OBJECTIVE

Despite the prevailing consensus as to its value, the adoption of integrated care models is not widespread. Thus, the objective of this article it to examine the barriers to the adoption of depression and primary care models in the United States.

METHODS

A literature search focused on peer-reviewed journal literature in Medline and PsycInfo. The search strategy focused on barriers to integrated mental health care services in primary care, and was based on previously existing searches. The search included: MeSH terms combined with targeted keywords; iterative citation searches in Scopus; searches for grey literature (literature not traditionally indexed by commercial publishers) in Google and organization websites, examination of reference lists, and discussions with researchers.

FINDINGS

Integration of depression care and primary care faces multiple barriers. Patients and families face numerous barriers, linked inextricably to create challenges not easily remedied by any one party, including the following: vulnerable populations with special needs, patient and family factors, medical and mental health comorbidities, provider supply and culture, financing and costs, and organizational issues.

CONCLUSIONS

An analysis of barriers impeding integration of depression and primary care presents information for future implementation of services.

Grand challenges: integrating mental health services into priority health care platforms

In the last article of a five-part series providing a global perspective on integrating mental health, Vikram Patel and colleagues discuss the competencies, operational innovation, and packages of care needed, and argue that integration will complement primary care system strengthening.

Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary

Particular difficulties faced by GPs with young adults who will attempt suicide: a cross-sectional study

Background

Suicide is a major public health problem in young people. General Practitioners (GPs) play a central role in suicide prevention. However data about how physicians deal with suicidal youths are lacking. This study aims to compare young adult suicide attempters (from 18 to 39 years old) with older adults in a primary care setting.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried. All suicide attempts (N=270) reported to the French Sentinel surveillance System from 2009 to 2011 were considered. We conducted comparison of data on the last GP’s consultation and GPs’ management in the last three months between young adults and older adults.

Results

In comparison with older adults, young adults consulted their GP less frequently in the month preceding the suicidal attempt (40.9 vs. 64.6%, p=.01). During the last consultation prior to the suicidal attempt, they expressed suicidal ideas less frequently (11.3 vs. 21.9%, p=.03). In the year preceding the suicidal attempt, GPs identified depression significantly less often (42.0 vs. 63.4%, p=.001). In the preceding three months, GPs realized significantly less interventions: less psychological support (37.5 vs. 53.0%, p=.02), prescribed less antidepressants (28.6 vs. 54.8%, p<.0001) or psychotropic drugs (39.1 vs. 52.9%, p=.03) and made fewer attempts to refer to a mental health specialist (33.3 vs. 45.5%, p=.05).

Conclusion

With young adults who subsequently attempt suicide, GPs face particular difficulties compared to older adults, as a significant proportion of young adults were not seen in the previous six months, as GPs identified less depressions in the preceding year and were less active in managing in the preceding three months. Medical training and continuing medical education should include better instruction on challenges relative to addressing suicide risk in this particular population.

Inter-relationship of the functional status question of the PHQ-9 and depression remission after six months of collaborative care management

In collaborative care management (CCM) for depression, a restoration of premorbid functional status is as important as symptom reduction. The goal of this study was to investigate if the baseline functional status of the patient (as determined by the tenth question of the PHQ-9) was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes six months after enrollment into CCM and the interdependence of clinical outcomes on functional improvement at six months. One thousand eighty three adult patients who were enrolled in CCM for the diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia and had a PHQ-9 score of 10 or greater were retrospectively reviewed. Using a multiple regression model for clinical remission six months after enrollment into CCM; age, race and gender were not significant predictors of remission, however, being married was (OR 1.323 CI 1.013-1.727, P = 0.040). Patients in the Extremely Difficult category had an odds ratio of remission of 0.610 (CI 0.392-0.945, P = 0.028) at six months compared to the Somewhat Difficult group. Also, the odds of a patient achieving normal functional status at six months was highly correlated to clinical remission (PHQ-9 <5) with an odds ratio of 218.530 (P < 0.001). Depressed patients with worsening functional status at enrollment into CCM are less likely to achieve remission after six months, independent of all other variables studied. Also, improvement of a patient's functional status at six months was highly correlated with clinical remission.

Delivering psychiatric services in primary-care setting

Psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and anxiety disorders, are common in primary-care settings, though often overlooked or untreated. Depression and anxiety disorders are associated with a poorer course for and complications from common chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease. Integrating psychiatric services into primary-care settings can improve recognition and treatment of psychiatric disorders for large populations of patients. Numerous research studies demonstrate associations between improved recognition and treatment of psychiatric disorders and improved courses of psychiatric disorders, but also with improvements in other chronic diseases such as diabetes. The evidence bases supporting the use of 2 models of integrated care, colocation of psychiatric care and collaborative care, are reviewed. These models' uses in specific populations are also discussed.

Grand challenges: Improving HIV treatment outcomes by integrating interventions for co-morbid mental illness

In the fourth article of a five-part series providing a global perspective on integrating mental health, Sylvia Kaaya and colleagues discuss the importance of integrating mental health interventions into HIV prevention and treatment platforms.

Collaborative care for depression and anxiety problems

BACKGROUND

Common mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, are estimated to affect up to 15% of the UK population at any one time, and health care systems worldwide need to implement interventions to reduce the impact and burden of these conditions. Collaborative care is a complex intervention based on chronic disease management models that may be effective in the management of these common mental health problems.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness of collaborative care for patients with depression or anxiety.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the following databases to February 2012: The Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group (CCDAN) trials registers (CCDANCTR-References and CCDANCTR-Studies) which include relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from MEDLINE (1950 to present), EMBASE (1974 to present), PsycINFO (1967 to present) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, all years); the World Health Organization (WHO) trials portal (ICTRP); ClinicalTrials.gov; and CINAHL (to November 2010 only). We screened the reference lists of reports of all included studies and published systematic reviews for reports of additional studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of collaborative care for participants of all ages with depression or anxiety.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two independent researchers extracted data using a standardised data extraction sheet. Two independent researchers made 'Risk of bias' assessments using criteria from The Cochrane Collaboration. We combined continuous measures of outcome using standardised mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We combined dichotomous measures using risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs. Sensitivity analyses tested the robustness of the results.

MAIN RESULTS

We included seventy-nine RCTs (including 90 relevant comparisons) involving 24,308 participants in the review. Studies varied in terms of risk of bias.The results of primary analyses demonstrated significantly greater improvement in depression outcomes for adults with depression treated with the collaborative care model in the short-term (SMD -0.34, 95% CI -0.41 to -0.27; RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.43), medium-term (SMD -0.28, 95% CI -0.41 to -0.15; RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.48), and long-term (SMD -0.35, 95% CI -0.46 to -0.24; RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.41). However, these significant benefits were not demonstrated into the very long-term (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.27).The results also demonstrated significantly greater improvement in anxiety outcomes for adults with anxiety treated with the collaborative care model in the short-term (SMD -0.30, 95% CI -0.44 to -0.17; RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.87), medium-term (SMD -0.33, 95% CI -0.47 to -0.19; RR 1.41, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.69), and long-term (SMD -0.20, 95% CI -0.34 to -0.06; RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.42). No comparisons examined the effects of the intervention on anxiety outcomes in the very long-term.There was evidence of benefit in secondary outcomes including medication use, mental health quality of life, and patient satisfaction, although there was less evidence of benefit in physical quality of life.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Collaborative care is associated with significant improvement in depression and anxiety outcomes compared with usual care, and represents a useful addition to clinical pathways for adult patients with depression and anxiety.

Co-occurrence of diabetes and depression: conceptual considerations for an emerging global health challenge

BACKGROUND

Considering the relationships between diabetes and depression may enhance programs to reduce their individual and shared disease burden.

METHODS

This paper discusses relationships between diabetes and depression, the range of influences on each, conceptual issues central to their definition, and interventions including comprehensive, population approaches to their prevention and management. Foundational and exemplary literature was identified by the writing team according to their areas of expertise.

RESULTS

Diabetes and depression influence each other while sharing a broad range of biological, psychological, socioeconomic and cultural determinants. They may be viewed as: (a) distinct but sometimes comorbid entities, (b) dimensions, (c) parts of broader categories, e.g., metabolic/cardiovascular abnormalities or negative emotions, or (d) integrated so that comprehensive treatment of diabetes includes depression or negative emotions, and that of depression routinely considers possible diabetes or other chronic diseases.

LIMITATIONS

The choice of literature relied primarily on the authors' knowledge of the issues addressed. Some important perspectives and research may have been overlooked.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Collaboration among primary care and specialist clinicians as well as program and public health managers should reflect the commonalities among diabetes, depression, and other chronic mental and physical disorders. Interventions should include integrated clinical care and self-management programs along with population approaches to prevention and management. Self management and problem solving may provide a coherent framework for integrating the diverse tasks and objectives of those living with diabetes and depression or many other varieties of multi-morbidity.

Economics of collaborative care for management of depressive disorders: a community guide systematic review

CONTEXT

Major depressive disorders are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. Collaborative Care models developed from the Chronic Care Model during the past 20 years have improved the quality of depression management in the community, raising intervention cost incrementally above usual care. This paper assesses the economic efficiency of collaborative care for management of depressive disorders by comparing its economic costs and economic benefits to usual care, as informed by a systematic review of the literature.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

The economic review of collaborative care for management of depressive disorders was conducted in tandem with a review of effectiveness, under the guidance of the Community Preventive Services Task Force, a nonfederal, independent group of public health leaders and experts. Economic review methods developed by the Guide to Community Preventive Services were used by two economists to screen, abstract, adjust, and summarize the economic evidence of collaborative care from societal and other perspectives. An earlier economic review that included eight RCTs was included as part of the evidence. The present economic review expanded the evidence with results from studies published from 1980 to 2009 and included both RCTs and other study designs.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

In addition to the eight RCTs included in the earlier review, 22 more studies of collaborative care that provided estimates for economic outcomes were identified, 20 of which were evaluations of actual interventions and two of which were based on models. Of seven studies that measured only economic benefits of collaborative care in terms of averted healthcare or productivity loss, four found positive economic benefits due to intervention and three found minimal or no incremental benefit. Of five studies that measured both benefits and costs, three found lower collaborative care cost because of reduced healthcare utilization or enhanced productivity, and one found the same for a subpopulation of the intervention group. One study found that willingness to pay for collaborative care exceeded program costs. Among six cost-utility studies, five found collaborative care was cost effective. In two modeled studies, one showed cost effectiveness based on comparison of $/disability-adjusted life-year to annual per capita income; the other demonstrated cost effectiveness based on the standard threshold of $50,000/quality-adjusted life year, unadjusted for inflation. Finally, six of eight studies in the earlier review reported that interventions were cost effective on the basis of the standard threshold.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence indicates that collaborative care for management of depressive disorders provides good economic value.

Recommendation from the community preventive services task force for use of collaborative care for the management of depressive disorders

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends collaborative care for management of depressive disorders, based on strong evidence of effectiveness in improving depression symptoms, adherence to treatment, response to treatment, and remission and recovery from depression.

Evaluating Depression Care Management in a Community Setting: Main Outcomes for a Medicaid HMO Population with Multiple Medical and Psychiatric Comorbidities

The authors describe the implementation of a depression care management (DCM) program at Colorado Access, a public sector health plan, and describe the program's clinical and system outcomes for members with chronic medical conditions. High medical risk, high cost Medicaid health plan members were identified and systematically screened for depression. A total of 370 members enrolled in the DCM program. Longitudinal analyses revealed significantly reduced depression severity scores at 3, 6, and 12 months after intervention as compared to baseline depression scores. At 12 months, 56% of enrollees in the DCM program had either a 50% reduction in PHQ-9 scores or a PHQ-9 score < 10. Longitudinal economic analyses comparing 12 months before and after intervention revealed a significant but modest increase in ER visits, outpatient office visits, and overall medical and pharmacy costs when adjusted for months enrolled in DCM. Limitations and recommendations for the integrated depression care management are discussed.