Multimorbidity is associated with increased rates of depression in patients hospitalized with diabetes mellitus in the United States.

AIMS: Information on the burden and risk factors for diabetes-depression comorbidity in the US is sparse. We used data from the largest all-payer, nationally-representative inpatient database in the US to estimate the prevalence, temporal trends, and risk factors for comorbid depression among adult diabetic inpatients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis using the 2002-2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases. Depression and other comorbidities were identified using ICD-9-CM codes. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between patient characteristics and depression. RESULTS: The rate of depression among patients with type 2 diabetes increased from 7.6% in 2002 to 15.4% in 2014, while for type 1 diabetes the rate increased from 8.7% in 2002 to 19.6% in 2014. The highest rates of depression were observed among females, non-Hispanic whites, younger patients, and patients with five or more chronic comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of comorbid depression among diabetic inpatients in the US is increasing rapidly. Although some portion of this increase could be explained by the rising prevalence of multimorbidity, increased awareness and likelihood of diagnosis of comorbid depression by physicians and better documentation as a result of the increased adoption of electronic health records likely contributed to this trend.

Incremental Benefit-Cost of MOMCare: Collaborative Care for Perinatal Depression Among Economically Disadvantaged Women.

OBJECTIVE: Effectiveness of collaborative care for perinatal depression has been demonstrated for MOMCare, from early pregnancy up to 15 months postpartum, for Medicaid enrollees in a public health system. MOMCare had a greater impact on reducing depression and improving functioning for women with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than for those without PTSD. This study estimated the incremental benefit and cost and the net benefit of MOMCare for women with major depression and PTSD. METHODS: A randomized trial (September 2009 to December 2014) compared the MOMCare collaborative care depression intervention (choice of brief interpersonal psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy or both) with enhanced maternity support services (MSS-Plus) in the public health system of Seattle-King County. Among pregnant women with a probable diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia (N=164), two-thirds (N=106) met criteria for probable PTSD. Blinded assessments at three, six, 12, and 18 months postbaseline included the Symptom Checklist-20 depression scale and the Cornell Services Index. Analyses of covariance estimated gain in depression free days (DFDs) by intervention and PTSD status. RESULTS: When the analysis controlled for baseline depression severity, women with probable depression and PTSD in MOMCare had 68 more depression-free days over 18 months than those in MSS-Plus (p<.05). The additional depression care cost per MOMCare participant with comorbid PTSD was $1,312. The incremental net benefit of MOMCare was positive if a DFD was valued at ≥$20. CONCLUSIONS: For women with probable major depression and PTSD, MOMCare had significant clinical benefit over MSS-Plus, with only a moderate increase in health services cost.

Collaborative Care for Perinatal Depression Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Women: Adverse Neonatal Birth Events and Treatment Response.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined the effectiveness of a perinatal collaborative care intervention in moderating the effects of adverse neonatal birth events on risks of postpartum depressive symptoms and impaired functioning among women of lower socioeconomic status with antenatal depression. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial with blinded outcome assessments was conducted in ten public health centers, comparing MOMCare (choice of brief interpersonal psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, or both) with intensive maternity support services (MSS-Plus). Participants had probable diagnoses of major depressive disorder or dysthymia during pregnancy. Generalized estimating equations estimated differences in depression and functioning measures between groups with and without adverse birth events within the treatment arms. A total of 160 women, 43% of whom experienced at least one adverse birth event, were included in the analyses. RESULTS: For women who received MOMCare, postpartum depression scores (measured with the Symptom Checklist-20) did not differ by whether or not they experienced an adverse birth event (mean±SD scores of .86±.51 for mothers with an adverse birth event and .83±.56 for mothers with no event; p=.78). For women who received MSS-Plus, having an adverse birth event was associated with persisting depression in the postpartum period (mean scores of 1.20±.0.61 for mothers with an adverse birth event and .93±.52 for mothers without adverse birth event; p=.04). Similar results were seen for depression response rates and functioning. CONCLUSIONS: MOMCare mitigated the risk of postpartum depressive symptoms and impaired functioning among women of low socioeconomic status who had antenatal depression and who experienced adverse birth events.

COLLABORATIVE CARE FOR PERINATAL DEPRESSION IN SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED WOMEN: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL.

BACKGROUND: Both antenatal and postpartum depression have adverse, lasting effects on maternal and child well-being. Socioeconomically disadvantaged women are at increased risk for perinatal depression and have experienced difficulty accessing evidence-based depression care. The authors evaluated whether "MOMCare,"a culturally relevant, collaborative care intervention, providing a choice of brief interpersonal psychotherapy and/or antidepressants, is associated with improved quality of care and depressive outcomes compared to intensive public health Maternity Support Services (MSS-Plus). METHODS: A randomized multisite controlled trial with blinded outcome assessment was conducted in the Seattle-King County Public Health System. From January 2010 to July 2012, pregnant women were recruited who met criteria for probable major depression and/or dysthymia, English-speaking, had telephone access, and ≥18 years old. The primary outcome was depression severity at 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-month postbaseline assessments; secondary outcomes included functional improvement, PTSD severity, depression response and remission, and quality of depression care. RESULTS: All participants were on Medicaid and 27 years old on average; 58% were non-White; 71% were unmarried; and 65% had probable PTSD. From before birth to 18 months postbaseline, MOMCare (n = 83) compared to MSS-Plus participants (n = 85) attained significantly lower levels of depression severity (Wald's χ(2) = 6.09, df = 1, P = .01) and PTSD severity (Wald's χ(2) = 4.61, df = 1, P = .04), higher rates of depression remission (Wald's χ(2) = 3.67, df = 1, P = .05), and had a greater likelihood of receiving ≥4 mental health visits (Wald's χ(2) = 58.23, df = 1, P < .0001) and of adhering to antidepressants in the prior month (Wald's χ(2) = 10.00, df = 1, P < .01). CONCLUSION: Compared to MSS-Plus, MOMCare showed significant improvement in quality of care, depression severity, and remission rates from before birth to 18 months postbaseline for socioeconomically disadvantaged women. Findings suggest that evidence-based perinatal depression care can be integrated into the services of a county public health system in the United States. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT01045655.

A randomized clinical trial of a telephone depression intervention to reduce employee presenteeism and absenteeism.

OBJECTIVES: The study tested an intervention aimed at improving work functioning among middle-aged and older adults with depression and work limitations. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial allocated an initial sample of 431 eligible employed adults (age ≥45) to a work-focused intervention (WFI) or usual care. Inclusion criteria were depression as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and at-work limitations indicated by a productivity loss score ≥5% on the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ). Study sites included 19 employers and five related organizations. Telephone-based counseling provided three integrated modalities: care coordination, cognitive-behavioral therapy strategy development, and work coaching and modification. Effectiveness (change in productivity loss scores from preintervention to four months postintervention) was tested with mixed models adjusted for confounders. Secondary outcomes included change in WLQ work performance scales, self-reported absences, and depression. RESULTS: Of 1,227 eligible employees (7% of screened), 431 (35%) enrolled and 380 completed the study (12% attrition). At-work productivity loss improved 44% in the WFI group versus 13% in usual care (difference in change, p<.001). WFI group scores on the four WLQ scales improved 44% to 47%, significantly better than in usual care (p<.001 for each scale). Absence days declined by 53% in the WFI group versus 13% in usual care (difference in change, p<.001). Mean PHQ-9 depression symptom severity scores declined 51% for WFI versus 26% for usual care (difference in change, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The WFI was more effective than usual care at four-month follow-up. Given increasing efforts to provide more patient-centered, value-based care, the WFI could be an important resource.

A randomized trial of collaborative depression care in obstetrics and gynecology clinics: socioeconomic disadvantage and treatment response.

OBJECTIVE: The authors evaluated whether an obstetrics-gynecology clinic-based collaborative depression care intervention is differentially effective compared with usual care for socially disadvantaged women with either no health insurance or with public coverage compared with those with commercial insurance. METHOD: The study was a two-site randomized controlled trial with an 18-month follow-up. Women were recruited who screened positive (a score of at least 10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and met criteria for major depression or dysthymia. The authors tested whether insurance status had a differential effect on continuous depression outcomes between the intervention and usual care over 18 months. They also assessed differences between the intervention and usual care in quality of depression care and dichotomous clinical outcomes (a decrease of at least 50% in depressive symptom severity and patient-rated improvement on the Patient Global Improvement Scale). RESULTS: The treatment effect was significantly associated with insurance status. Compared with patients with commercial insurance, those with no insurance or with public coverage had greater recovery from depression symptoms with collaborative care than with usual care over the 18-month follow-up period. At the 12-month follow-up, the effect size for depression improvement compared with usual care among women with no insurance or with public coverage was 0.81 (95% CI=0.41, 0.95), whereas it was 0.39 (95% CI=-0.08, 0.84) for women with commercial insurance. CONCLUSIONS: Collaborative depression care adapted to obstetrics-gynecology settings had a greater impact on depression outcomes for socially disadvantaged women with no insurance or with public coverage compared with women with commercial insurance.

Veterans' service utilization and associated costs following participation in dialectical behavior therapy: a preliminary investigation.

CONTEXT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based therapy developed for the treatment of suicidal behaviors and disorders characterized by emotional and behavioral dyscontrol that is effective in veteran populations. The impact of DBT on veterans' Veterans Affairs (VA) service utilization and cost is unknown. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: This study evaluated the impact of DBT in a VA outpatient mental health setting on VA service utilization and cost of services. Veterans treated for symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder, who had completed at least 6 months of the DBT program were sampled (N = 41). Use of physical and mental health services during the years prior and following DBT was assessed using medical record information. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in mental health service utilization. Psychiatric hospitalization dropped in half, and for those with a hospitalization, length of stay decreased significantly. Direct costs associated with all health care were significantly reduced. CONCLUSION: Changes in service utilization resulted in a significant reduction in direct costs of providing care to veterans with symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder. Additional research is needed to compare the reduction in overall costs to the cost of implementing DBT and to compare these changes to a control group.

Culturally relevant treatment services for perinatal depression in socio-economically disadvantaged women: the design of the MOMCare study.

BACKGROUND: Depression during pregnancy has been demonstrated to be predictive of low birthweight, prematurity, and postpartum depression. These adverse outcomes potentially have lasting effects on maternal and child well-being. Socio-economically disadvantaged women are twice as likely as middle-class women to meet diagnostic criteria for antenatal major depression (MDD), but have proven difficult to engage and retain in treatment. Collaborative care treatment models for depression have not been evaluated for racially/ethnically diverse, pregnant women on Medicaid receiving care in a public health system. This paper describes the design, methodology, culturally relevant enhancements, and implementation of a randomized controlled trial of depression care management compared to public health Maternity Support Services (MSS). METHODS: Pregnant, public health patients, >18 years with a likely diagnosis of MDD or dysthymia, measured respectively by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) or the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), were randomized to the intervention or to public health MSS. The primary outcome was reduction in depression severity from baseline during pregnancy to 18-months post-baseline (one-year postpartum). BASELINE RESULTS: 168 women with likely MDD (96.4%) and/or dysthymia (24.4%) were randomized. Average age was 27.6 years and gestational age was 22.4 weeks; 58.3% racial/ethnic minority; 71.4% unmarried; 22% no high school degree/GED; 65.3% unemployed; 42.1% making <$10,000 annually; 80.4% having recurrent depression; 64.6% PTSD, and 72% unplanned pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: A collaborative care team, including a psychiatrist, psychologist, project manager, and 3 social workers, met weekly, collaborated with the patients' obstetrics providers, and monitored depression severity using an electronic tracking system. Potential sustainability of the intervention within a public health system requires further study.

Patient self-assessment factors predictive of persistent depressive symptoms 6 months after enrollment in collaborative care management.

BACKGROUND: Collaborative care management (CCM) is effective for improving depression outcomes. However, a subset of patients will still have symptoms after 6 months. This study sought to determine whether routinely obtained baseline clinical, demographic, and self-assessment variables would predict which patients endorse persistent depressive symptoms (PDS) after 6 months. By estimating the relative risk associated with the patient variables, we aimed to outline the combinations of factors predictive of PDS after CCM enrollment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 1,110 adult primary care patients with the diagnosis of major depressive disorder enrolled in a CCM program and evaluated those with PDS (defined as patient health questionnaire-9score ≥10) 6 months after enrollment. RESULTS: At baseline, an increased depression severity, worsening symptoms of generalized anxiety, an abnormal screening on the mood disorder questionnaire (MDQ) and the diagnosis of recurrent episode of depression were independent predictors of PDS. A patient with severe, recurrent depression, an abnormal MDQ screen, and severe anxiety at baseline had a predicted 42.1% probability of PDS at 6 months. In contrast, a patient with a moderate, first episode of depression, normal MDQ screen, and no anxiety symptoms had a low probability of PDS at 6.6%. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several patient self-assessment scores and clinical diagnosis that markedly predicted the probability of PDS 6 months after diagnosis and enrollment into CCM. Knowledge of these high-risk attributes should alert the clinician to monitor select patients more closely and consider altering therapy appropriately.

Long-term effectiveness of collaborative depression care in older primary care patients with and without PTSD symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: Depressed patients with comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more functionally impaired and may take longer to respond to depression treatment than patients without PTSD. This study examined the long-term effects of PTSD on depression severity, treatment response, and health care costs among older adults. METHODS: Patients were recruited from 18 primary care clinics in five states. A total of 1801 patients aged 60 years or older with major depression or dysthymia were randomized to Improving Mood Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment (IMPACT) collaborative care or usual care. The study included 191 (10.6%) subjects who screened positive for PTSD. Depression severity, assessed by the Hopkins Depression Symptom Checklist, was used to estimate depression-free days (DFDs) over 24 months. Total health care costs included inpatient, outpatient, and pharmacy costs. RESULTS: Depressed patients with PTSD had higher depression severity than patients without PTSD symptoms at baseline. Over 2 years, intervention patients with PTSD symptoms had relatively the same benefits from collaborative care (99 more DFDs than usual care patients) as patients without PTSD (108 more DFDs than usual care) (p = 0.85). Total health care costs did not differ significantly for depressed patients with and without PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSION: Depressed older adults with PTSD symptoms were more depressed at baseline, but collaborative care (compared to usual care) produced similar improvements in depression severity in both groups. This reduction of depression symptoms was observed for up to 12 months after the intervention ended, suggesting that long-term improvements in depression are possible with collaborative care in patients with and without PTSD symptoms.

Costs of depression in Catalonia (Spain).

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cost of depression for the adult population in Catalonia (Spain) for 2006. METHOD: The total adult population of Catalonia for the reference year was close to 6 million. A cross-design synthesis study was conducted, combining "top-down" and "bottom-up" data from secondary data sources, as well as expert opinion (nominal groups). A societal perspective was adopted. Estimates included direct health costs (hospital, primary, specialised and pharmacological care) and the indirect costs derived from the productivity lost due to morbidity and mortality. Sensitivity analyses were carried out for primary and specialised care resource utilisation. A Monte Carlo simulation model was developed to handle the uncertainty of the unit costs of primary care, specialised care and hospital visits. RESULTS: The total annual cost of depression in Catalonia for 2006 was 735.4 million Euros. Of this figure, 21.2% corresponded to direct costs, including 41 million Euros in primary care (5.6%), 8.1 million Euros in mental health specialised care (1.1%), 5.6 million Euros due to hospitalisation (0.8%) and 101.1 million Euros due to pharmacological care (13.7%); and 78.8% to indirect costs due to productivity loss. 3.7 million work days were lost to temporary disability for depression with a cost of 199.6 million Euros (27.1%), and 353.3 million Euros due to permanent disability (48%). Mortality attributed to suicide accounted for 26.9 million Euros (3.7%). The average annual cost of an adult with depression was close to 1800 Euros. LIMITATIONS: The heterogeneity of the data sources, the uncertainty in several estimates (i.e. proportion of psychotropic expenditure attributed to the treatment of depression, suicide rate attributed to depression), and the difficulty in disaggregating anxiety and depressive disorders in a number of databases are study limitations. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of depression for the Catalan public health system and society as a whole due to the consumption of resources and, more importantly, the loss of productivity is significant. Inefficiencies may be found in the overuse of pharmaceuticals and in the eligibility criteria of disability for work.

The epidemiology of chronic major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of chronic major depressive disorder (CMDD) and dysthymic disorder, their sociodemographic correlates, patterns of 12-month and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity, lifetime risk factors, psychosocial functioning, and mental health service utilization. METHOD: Face-to-face interviews were conducted in the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (n = 43,093). RESULTS: The 12-month and lifetime prevalences were greater for CMDD (1.5% and 3.1%, respectively) than for dysthymic disorder (0.5% and 0.9%, respectively). Individuals with CMDD and dysthymic disorder shared most sociodemographic correlates and lifetime risk factors for major depressive disorder. Individuals with CMDD and dysthymic disorder had almost identically high rates of Axis I and Axis II comorbid disorders. However, individuals with CMDD received higher rates of all treatment modalities than individuals with dysthymic disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with CMDD and dysthymic disorder share many sociodemographic correlates, comorbidity patterns, risk factors, and course. Individuals with chronic depressive disorders, especially those with dysthymic disorder, continue to face substantial unmet treatment needs.

Evaluation of a system of structured, pro-active care for chronic depression in primary care: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: People with chronic depression are frequently lost from effective care, with resulting psychological, physical and social morbidity and considerable social and financial societal costs. This randomised controlled trial will evaluate whether regular structured practice nurse reviews lead to better mental health and social outcomes for these patients and will assess the cost-effectiveness of the structured reviews compared to usual care.The hypothesis is that structured, pro-active care of patients with chronic depression in primary care will lead to a cost-effective improvement in medical and social outcomes when compared with usual general practitioner (GP) care. METHODS/DESIGN: Participants were recruited from 42 general practices throughout the United Kingdom. Eligible participants had to have a history of chronic major depression, recurrent major depression or chronic dsythymia confirmed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). They also needed to score 14 or above on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) at recruitment.Once consented, participants were randomised to treatment as usual from their general practice (controls) or the practice nurse led intervention. The intervention includes a specially prepared education booklet and a comprehensive baseline assessment of participants' mood and any associated physical and psycho-social factors, followed by regular 3 monthly reviews by the nurse over the 2 year study period. At these appointments intervention participants' mood will be reviewed, together with their current pharmacological and psychological treatments and any relevant social factors, with the nurse suggesting possible amendments according to evidence based guidelines. This is a chronic disease management model, similar to that used for other long-term conditions in primary care.The primary outcome is the BDI-II, measured at baseline and 6 monthly by self-complete postal questionnaire. Secondary outcomes collected by self-complete questionnaire at baseline and 2 years include social functioning, quality of life and data for the economic analyses. Health service data will be collected from GP notes for the 24 months before recruitment and the 24 months of the study. DISCUSSION: 558 participants were recruited, 282 to the intervention and 276 to the control arm. The majority were recruited via practice database searches using relevant READ codes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN36610074.

Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) clinical guidelines for the management of major depressive disorder in adults. I. Classification, burden and principles of management.

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most burdensome illnesses in Canada. The purpose of this introductory section of the 2009 revised CANMAT guidelines is to provide definitions of the depressive disorders (with an emphasis on MDD), summarize Canadian data concerning their epidemiology and describe overarching principles of managing these conditions. This section on "Classification, Burden and Principles of Management" is one of 5 guideline articles in the 2009 CANMAT guidelines. METHODS: The CANMAT guidelines are based on a question-answer format to enhance accessibility to clinicians. An evidence-based format was used with updated systematic reviews of the literature and recommendations were graded according to the Level of Evidence using pre-defined criteria. Lines of Treatment were identified based on criteria that included evidence and expert clinical support. RESULTS: Epidemiologic data indicate that MDD afflicts 11% of Canadians at some time in their lives, and approximately 4% during any given year. MDD has a detrimental impact on overall health, role functioning and quality of life. Detection of MDD, accurate diagnosis and provision of evidence-based treatment are challenging tasks for both clinicians and for the health systems in which they work. LIMITATIONS: Epidemiologic and clinical data cannot be seamlessly linked due to heterogeneity of syndromes within the population. CONCLUSIONS: In the eight years since the last CANMAT Guidelines for Treatment of Depressive Disorders were published, progress has been made in understanding the epidemiology and treatment of these disorders. Evidence supporting specific therapeutic interventions is summarized and evaluated in subsequent sections.

Depression and the workplace: a progress report.

There has been considerable interest recently in the relationship between depression and the workplace. This interest is driven by the growing recognition that depressive disorders are highly prevalent in the workplace and have an enormously negative impact on performance, productivity, absenteeism, and disability costs. A variety of clinical research with occupational-related samples has helped to define those at risk for depression and has led to a better understanding of the overlap of the construct of clinical depression with more longstanding occupational health and organizational psychology models such as stress, burnout, and job satisfaction. From an employer perspective, depression's impact remains largely unmitigated due to stigma, uncertainty about treatment's cost effectiveness, and lack of effective interventions delivered in a workplace setting. Progress in these areas is reviewed with suggestions for future directions.

Predictors of treatment duration and retention in a study of long-term dynamic psychotherapy: childhood adversity, adult personality, and diagnosis.

Systematic knowledge about patient characteristics that predict the duration of long-term psychotherapy is largely absent. We examined predictors of attrition, retention, and duration of long-term dynamic psychotherapy to delineate the naturalistic history of psychotherapy, specifically focusing on childhood emotional neglect and abuse, adult diagnosis, personality, and functioning as predictors. Fifty-three adults with depressive, anxiety, and/or personality disorders (PDs) were offered at least 3 years of long-term dynamic psychotherapy. The median duration of therapy for the study group was 110 sessions (95% confidence interval [CI] 52-141). Nondynamic characteristics (including demographics; most Axis I diagnoses; depression, anxiety, and distress scores; social and global functioning; and the five personality factors) did not predict number of sessions. Dysthymic disorder, presence of any PD (particularly dependent PD [DPD]), emotional neglect in childhood, and higher adaptive defense style scores predicted a greater number of sessions, while obsessive-compulsive PD (OCPD) predicted fewer sessions. Emotional neglect, DPD, higher adaptive defenses, and OCPD were each unique predictors of duration. A session frequency less than 0.7 sessions per week (36 sessions per year) was associated with a three-fold higher risk for intrinsic attrition (relative risk = 3.04, 95% CI 1.10-8.44). Childhood emotional neglect as well as adult dependency may predispose patients to remain in therapy for longer durations, while some adaptive defenses may allow patients to contain the distressing affects that might otherwise lead to early termination. It remains to be seen whether longer durations of treatments are associated with respectively greater improvement, other things being equal, and whether these findings generalize to other types of treatment.

A pilot study of telephone care management and structured disease self-management groups for chronic depression.

OBJECTIVE: The authors developed, implemented, and pilot-tested intervention programs to provide effective care for chronic or recurrent depression. METHODS: A total of 104 patients with chronic or recurrent depression were randomly assigned to one of four groups: continued usual behavioral health care, usual care plus telephone monitoring and care management by a care manager, usual care plus care management plus a peer-led chronic-disease self-management group program, or usual care plus care management plus a professionally led depression psychotherapy group. Outcomes in intent-to-treat analyses were assessed at three, six, nine, and 12 months and included treatment participation rates, Hopkins Symptom Checklist depression scale scores, major depression (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV), Patient-Rated Global Improvement ratings, treatment satisfaction, and adequacy of medication. RESULTS: Participation in care management was high in the three intervention groups. Close to 60% of participants invited to both group interventions attended at least an initial meeting, but a greater number assigned to the care management plus the professionally led group continued participation through the 12-month period. The sample was too small to reliably detect small or moderate differences in clinical outcomes, but various measures consistently favored the care management plus professionally led group. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to direct additional intervention services to patients with persistent or recurring depression. A larger trial of organized self-management support for chronic depression will be necessary for a definitive evaluation of program effectiveness.

A randomized trial of self-management and psychoeducational group therapies for comorbid chronic posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive disorder.

The authors randomized 101 male veterans with chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive disorder to an evidence-based depression treatment (self-management therapy; n = 51) or active-control therapy (n = 50). Main outcome measures for efficacy, using intention-to-treat analyses, were subjective and objective PTSD and depression scales at pretest, posttest, and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up. Other measures included treatment compliance, satisfaction, treatment-targeted constructs, functioning, service utilization, and costs. Self-management therapy's modestly greater improvement on depression symptoms at treatment completion disappeared on follow-up. No other differences on symptoms or functioning appeared, although psychiatric outpatient utilization and overall outpatient costs were lower with self-management therapy. Despite success in other depressed populations, self-management therapy produced no clinically significant effect in depression with chronic PTSD.

Mental health service use by patients with dysthymic disorder: treatment use and dropout in a 7 1/2-year naturalistic follow-up study.

Little is known about long-term treatment use among patients with dysthymia. This paper describes patterns of treatment use by 85 outpatients with dysthymic disorder and a comparison group of 36 outpatients with nonchronic (episodic) major depression in a naturalistic follow-up. Patients with dysthymia had higher rates of treatment use across 7 1/2 years compared with patients with episodic major depression. Baseline variables that predicted which patients with dysthymia dropped out of treatment before recovering from dysthymic disorder included age, ethnicity, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition Axis II pathology as obtained from informant reports, higher self-reported autonomy, and receiving psychotherapy alone as compared to receiving a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Dysthymic disorder places a significant burden on the mental health services system, yet many outpatients with dysthymia may be receiving inadequate treatment. Younger patients, ethnic minority patients, and patients with personality disorders may be at increased risk of dropping out from treatment for depression. Combination treatments may increase treatment retention.