[Shared decision making in mental health care; evaluation of the added value for patients and clinicians]. / Samen beslissen in de ggz; onderzoek naar toegevoegde waarde voor patiënten en behandelaars.

BACKGROUND: Although the evidence is expanding, in mental health care shared decision making (SDM) is not widely applied. Moreover, little is known about the use of routine outcome monitoring (ROM) and eHealth in SDM.
AIM: PhD research on the added value of SDM using ROM and eHealth for patients and clinicians in mental health care.
METHOD: Three studies: 1. a literature research and a cross-sectional study on decisional conflict; 2. ROM implementation research and a cluster randomised trial on shared decision making using ROM (Breakthrough program); 3. a cluster randomised trial on shared decision making during the intake (regional).
RESULTS: The interventions did not lead to reduced decisional conflict for all patient groups. Decisional conflict gives insight into the patient's perspective on the quality of the decision making process and decisions being made. Only patients with depression, who participated in the national trial, reported less decisional conflict. This trial did not show a higher level of SDM, but did show increased usage of rom in clinical practice. Although the regional trial showed no results on decisional conflict, the application of SDM and treatment outcomes improved.
CONCLUSION: SDM in mental health care needs further improvement. We recommend investigating how to support patients better, taking into account the role that suits them.

[Providing insight into the construct decisional conflict and its usability to assess shared decision making]. / Het begrip 'beslissingsambivalentie' (decisional conflict) en de bruikbaarheid ervan bij de evaluatie van gedeelde besluitvorming.

BACKGROUND: The increased attention for shared decision making (sdm) in mental health care creates a need to evaluate its application. The construct decisional conflict, which refers to the satisfaction of patients regarding both the decision making process and the decisions made, could be of added value.
AIM: Clarifying decisional conflict and reflecting on its feasibility to evaluate sdm in mental health care.
METHOD: A literature study exploring the construct of decisional conflict was conducted, followed by a translation of the results into a visual model.
RESULTS: Decisional conflict is a multi-dimensional construct and consists of factors influencing the decision making process (information, support, values clarity), level of uncertainty concerning the options and the quality of the decision making. Decisional conflict can be illustrated by using a model and assessed with the Decisional Conflict Scale.
CONCLUSION: Decisional conflict is informative and useful in the evaluation of the application of sdm and improvement of the quality of the decision making in mental health care as well. This is of importance since patients who experienced less decisional conflict are more engaged in treatment and show better clinical outcomes.

Developing a decision tool to identify patients with personality disorders in need of highly specialized care.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend referral to highly specialized care for patients with severe personality disorders. However, criteria for allocation to highly specialized care are not clearly defined. The aim of the present study was to develop a decision tool that can support clinicians to identify patients with a personality disorder in need of highly specialized care. METHODS: Steps taken to develop a decision tool were a literature search, concept mapping, a meeting with experts and a validation study. RESULTS: The concept mapping method resulted in six criteria for the decision tool. The model used in concept mapping provided a good fit (stress value = 0.30) and reasonable reliability (ρ = 0.49). The bridging values were low, indicating homogeneity. The decision tool was subsequently validated by enrolling 368 patients from seven centers. A multilevel model with a Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) was applied. In this way, an easily implementable decision tool with relatively high sensitivity (0.74) and specificity (0.69) was developed. CONCLUSIONS: A decision tool to identify patients with personality disorders for highly specialized care was developed using advanced methods to combine the input of experts with currently available scientific knowledge. The tool appeared to be able to accurately identify this group of patients. Clinicians can use this decision tool to identify patients who are in need of highly specialized treatment.

Process Evaluation of a Blended Web-Based Intervention on Return to Work for Sick-Listed Employees with Common Mental Health Problems in the Occupational Health Setting.

Purpose A blended web-based intervention, "eHealth module embedded in collaborative occupational health care" (ECO), aimed at return to work, was developed and found effective in sick-listed employees with common mental disorders. In order to establish the feasibility of ECO, a process evaluation was conducted. Methods Seven process components were investigated: recruitment, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, satisfaction and context. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect data: an online questionnaire for the employees, website data, telephonic interviews with occupational physicians (OPs) and observations of the researchers. Results Recruitment was uncomplicated for the employees, but required several steps for the OPs. Reach was 100 % at the OP level and 76.3 % at the employee level. Dose delivered and received for OPs: 91.6 % received minimally one email message. Dose delivered and received for the employees: finishing of the different modules of ECO varied between 13 and 90 %. Fidelity: the support of the OP to the employee in ECO was lower than anticipated. Satisfaction: both employees and OPs were satisfied with the intervention. However, employees reported a need for more support in ECO. The context showed that OPs had limited time to support the employees and it was impossible for the employee to contact the OP outside their regular contacts. Conclusion Feasibility of ECO and satisfaction of employees and OPs with ECO were good. Fidelity of OPs was limited. For further implementation in the occupational health setting, especially contextual barriers regarding time limitation and accessibility of OPs for employees should be addressed.

Validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for Major Depressive Disorder in the Occupational Health Setting.

Purpose Because of the increased risk of long-term sickness leave for employees with a major depressive disorder (MDD), it is important for occupational health professionals to recognize depression in a timely manner. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) has proven to be a reliable and valid instrument for screening MDD, but has not been validated in the occupational health setting. The aim of this study was to validate the PHQ-9 for MDD within a population of employees on sickness leave by using the MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) as a gold standard. Methods Participants were recruited in collaboration with the occupational health service. The study sample consisted of 170 employees on sickness leave between 4 and 26 weeks who completed the PHQ-9 and were evaluated with the MINI by telephone. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, efficiency and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) were calculated for all possible cut-off values. A receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis was computed for PHQ-9 score versus the MINI. Results The optimal cut-off value of the PHQ-9 was 10. This resulted in a sensitivity of 86.1 % [95 % CI (69.7-94.8)] and a specificity of 78.4 % [95 % CI (70.2-84.8)]. Based on the ROC analysis, the area under the curve for the PHQ-9 was 0.90 [SE = 0.02; 95 % CI (0.85-0.94)]. Conclusion The PHQ-9 shows good sensitivity and specificity as a screener for MDD within a population of employees on sickness leave.

Return-to-Work Self-Efficacy and Actual Return to Work Among Long-Term Sick-Listed Employees.

OBJECTIVE: Considering the costs incurred by sickness absence and the implications for the workers' quality of life, a fast return to work (RTW) is important. Self-efficacy (SE) seems to be an important predictor of RTW for employees with mental health problems. The predictive value of return-to-work self-efficacy (RTW-SE) has not been examined in employees on long-term sickness absence due to any cause. The aim of this study is to investigate whether RTW-SE is a predictor of time to RTW in long-term sick-listed employees with all-cause sickness absence. Furthermore, the relative contribution of RTW-SE in predicting RTW will be examined compared to health-related, job-related and personal factors. METHODS: In a longitudinal study, sick-listed employees who were currently on sick leave for more than 4 weeks filled out a self-report questionnaire. Demographics, health-related, personal, and job-related factors, and RTW-SE were measured. Employees were followed for 2 years to determine the duration until full RTW. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with time to RTW. RESULTS: Data were collected from 493 sick-listed employees. RTW-SE was a significant predictor of RTW. In a multivariate model, low RTW-SE, the thought of not being able to work while having symptoms (illness behaviour) and having chronic medical conditions were predictors of a longer duration until RTW. CONCLUSION: When guiding long-term sick-listed employees, it is important to focus on factors such as SE and illness behaviour, instead of just focusing on the symptoms of the sick-listed employee.

[Collaborative care for co-morbid major depressive disorder in chronically ill outpatients in a general hospital]. / Collaborative care voor de behandeling van comorbide depressieve stoornis bij chronisch lichamelijk zieke patiënten op een polikliniek van een algemeen ziekenhuis.

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent in patients with chronic physical illnesses. A promising intervention for this group of patients is the collaborative care treatment as developed in the us. AIM: To demonstrate the prevalence of depression and the risk factors of depression in diabetes patients, to describe how the screening for depression can be carried out and to assess whether the collaborative care treatment in the Netherlands is effective. METHOD: A questionnaire was completed every three months in order to determine whether there was an improvement in patients' depression and physical symptoms. The outcomes were analysed by means of the multilevel logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: On the basis of the Patient Health Questionnaire, about 26% of the diabetes patients were found to have a depression. This questionnaire was validated for the measurement of depression in diabetes patients, the best results being found at a cut-off point of 12. In cases of fairly severe depression, collaborative care had no effect on depressive symptoms but did reduce severe physical complications. In cases of more severe depression, collaborative care only had an effect on depressive symptoms, but was not found to have any effect on physical complications. CONCLUSION: There is evidence that collaborative care can reduce depression and physical complications in chronically ill patients. However, more research is needed to find out whether collaborative care can become more effective if it is supplemented with digital methods and group therapy.

Effects of schema group therapy in older outpatients: a proof of concept study.

BACKGROUND: Short-term group schema cognitive behavior therapy (SCBT-g) showed improvements in overall symptomatology, early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and schema modes, both in adults and adolescents with personality disorder (PD) features and long-standing mood disorders. However, no research has yet been carried out on the effect in older adults. Therefore, in a proof of concept study, we explored the effect of SCBT-g in older outpatients with PD features and longstanding mood disorders. METHOD: Thirty-one older outpatients, aged 60-78 years with PD features and/or longstanding mood disorders were included in a proof of concept study with pre-mid-post design. Primary outcome was psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory) and intermediate outcomes were EMS (Young Schema Questionnaire) and schema modes (Schema Mode Inventory), assessed at baseline, mid-treatment and end-of-treatment. Paired samples t-tests were conducted, and Cohen's d effect sizes reported for pre mid- and post-treatment. As proof of concept analysis, hierarchical regression analyses with residual change scores were used to analyse whether early process changes in EMS (intermediate outcomes) predicted later outcome changes in symptoms. RESULTS: SCBT-g led to significant improvement in all three measures of psychological symptoms, EMS and modes with medium effect sizes. Pre-treatment to mid-treatment changes in schema severity predicted symptom improvement from mid- to end-of-treatment. CONCLUSION: This proof of concept study shows that SCBT-g has potential to change EMS and to show significant effect at symptom level in older outpatients with PD features. A control condition in a randomized controlled trial is a necessary step for further research.

[DSM-5: from 'somatoform disorders' to 'somatic symptom and related disorders']. / DSM-5: van somatoforme stoornissen naar 'somatic symptom and related disorders'

BACKGROUND: The DSM-IV somatoform disorder category was controversial and has undergone major changes in DSM-5. AIM: To provide a critical description of DSM-5 somatic symptoms and related disorders (SSD). METHOD: To review the new classification system for somatic symptom and related disorders (SSD) as set out in DSM-5 RESULTS: Whereas the symptoms of somatoform disorder were always considered to be medically unexplained, in DSM-5 the symptoms of somatic symptom disorder can now sometimes be explained by a medical condition. The criterion is that the individual has a maladaptive reaction to a somatic symptom. In DSM-5 the terms somatisation disorder, pain disorder and undifferentiated somatoform disorder have been discarded, whereas factitious disorder as well as psychological factors affecting other medical conditions have been added to somatic symptom disorder and other disorders. Conversion disorder remains as it was in DSM-IV. Hypochondriasis has been renamed 'illness anxiety disorder'. CONCLUSION: The new description of somatic symptom disorder in DSM-5 represents a big step forwards, because the decision has been made to use, for classification, a positive criterion, namely maladaptive reaction to a somatic symptom, instead of the earlier negative criterion, namely that the symptoms should be medically unexplained. Before attaching the ssd label to an illness, the clinician will have to weigh up the clinical consequences of this psychiatric diagnosis.

[Does routine outcome monitoring have a promising future? An investigation into the use of shared decision-making combined with ROM for patients with a combination of physical and psychiatric symptoms]. / Shared decision making in combinatie met ROM bij patiënten met gecombineerde lichamelijke en psychische klachten; een klinisch-empirische verkenning.

BACKGROUND: Although routine outcome monitoring (ROM) has been developed and widely used in the course of patient centered outcome research in the Netherlands, so far the technique has hardly ever been used to improve the treatment of individual patients. AIM: To describe how a rom technique based on the principles of shared decision-making (SDM) was developed and evaluated at the Center for Body, Mind and Health at GGz Breburg, a specialised mental health institution in the Netherlands. METHOD: We have developed a conceptual model for SDM that involves patient participation and the use of evidence-based decision-aids with cut-off scores. RESULTS: According to the conceptual model for SDM that we developed, the patient and the health professional involved took 'shared' decisions in three phases; the decisions related to triage, the drawing-up of a treatment plan and a follow-up treatment course. At the end of the 6 month intake-phase 7 of the 67 patients who were deemed eligible for ROM/SDM were dropped from the study because they were incapable of performing ROM assessments. Due to diagnostic advice and referral at the end of the intake-phase, 25 patients did not require further treatment. Of the remaining 35 patients, 33 delivered at least one follow-up ROM assessment during the subsequent treatment phases. In these patients somatic and psychiatric symptoms were found to be significantly reduced. CONCLUSION: ROM combined with sdm can be used successfully with patients who have a combination of physical and psychiatric symptoms and the technique can be applied by the professional in charge. Very few patients dropped out of the follow-up measurements and somatic as well as depressive or psychiatric symptoms diminished significantly. These findings indicate that a Randomised Clinical Trial is warranted in order to test the effectiveness of sdm combined with ROM as a decision-making instrument.

[Somatic disorders in outpatient psychiatry: the added value of a standard physical examination during the intake of outpatients]. / Somatiek in de ambulante psychiatrie: de toegevoegde waarde van een standaard lichamelijk onderzoek tijdens de ambulante intake.

BACKGROUND: It is well-known that psychiatric patients often suffer from severe somatic problems, such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Up till now, research has concentrated almost exclusively on the inpatient setting, but there is strong evidence that the correlation also exists in psychiatric patients who are outpatients. In the Netherlands there are, as yet, no clear recommendations regarding a standard form of somatic screening for the outpatient population. A pilot study performed by GGz Breburg has shown that somatic screening (without a physical examination) gave substantial additional value to treatment planning. AIM: To investigate the added value that a physical examination can provide when new psychiatric patients are screened for aspects of somatic concern (ASC). METHOD: Newly referred outpatients (n = 70) were screened somatically by means of a questionnaire and supplementary medical interview, and by laboratory tests and physical examination. If a somatic problem was found which had not been detected previously, the patient was referred back to to the general practitioner. RESULTS: At least one ASC was found in 81,4% of all patients. In 45,7% of all patients the asc had not been detected. 12% of all the newly discovered somatic problems were found exclusively via the physical examination. CONCLUSION: A physical examination provides substantial information and adds value to the somatic screening of psychiatric outpatients.

[A description of children and adolescents with somatic unexplained physical symptoms in a Dutch mental health care institution]. / Kinderen en jongeren met somatisch onvoldoende verklaarde lichamelijke klachten in een ggz-instelling.

BACKGROUND: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) occur frequently in children and adolescents. Treatment of MUS in children and adolescents takes place mainly in mental health care (MHC) institutions, as does the treatment of adults with MUS. However, there is hardly any literature about the prevalence of MUS in children and adolescents in MHC. AIM: To study the prevalence of MUS in children and adolescents in Dutch MHC. METHOD: Comparisons were drawn between children and adolescents with MUS and those without MUS who had been referred to a Dutch MHC institution. RESULTS: Children and adolescents with MUS had more anxiety and depression and more introvert personality characteristics than children and adolescents without MUS. However, the quality of life of children and adolescents with MUS was similar to that of children and adolescents without MUS. CONCLUSION: One in five children and adolescents in Dutch MHC had MUS. These children and adolescents had introverted personality characteristics and showed anxious and depressed behavior, withdrawn-depressed behavior, and thought problems. The quality of life of children and adolescents with MUS and those without MUS was below average.

Diagnostic accuracy of the Dutch version of the Somatic Symptom Disorder - B Criteria Scale (SSD-12) compared to the Whiteley Index (WI) and PHQ-15 in a clinical population.

OBJECTIVE: Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders(SSRD) are characterised by an intense focus on somatic symptoms that causes significant distress. A self-report scale developed to assess distress as symptom-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (SSD-12) has proved to be a reliable, valid and time-efficient measure for Somatic Symptom Disorder(SSD). This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the SSD-12 with psychiatric assessment as gold standard in a Dutch clinical population for SSRD compared to other widely used measures. METHODS: Data were collected from adult patients visiting a specialised mental health outpatient clinic for SSRD in the Netherlands, between 2015 and 2017. Analyses included item evaluation, scale reliability, construct validity, diagnostic utility and cut points. Performance of SSD-12, Whiteley Index(WI) and PHQ-15 were compared in Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. RESULTS: 223 patients with SSD, Functional Neurological Disorder, Illness Anxiety(IA) and no SSRD participated. SSD-12 items were normally distributed; total scores correlated with measures of health anxiety, anxiety and depression. The optimal cut point for the SSD-12 was 22 (sensitivity 75.9%, specificity 63.6%). The ROC area under the curve for SSD-12 was 0.75 compared to 0.68 for the WI and 0.65 for the PHQ-15. Combinations of those questionnaires did not yield better results than for the SSD-12 alone. CONCLUSION: The SSD-12 alone outperformed the WI and PHQ-15 and combined scales in effectively distinguishing SSRDs from other mental disorders. This may suggest that distress is a more accurate indicator of SSRD than earlier diagnostic criteria as operationalised in the WI and PHQ-15.

Collaborative care for major depressive disorder in an occupational healthcare setting.

Randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of collaborative care in a Dutch occupational healthcare setting: 126 workers on sick leave with major depressive disorder were randomised to usual care (n = 61) or collaborative care (n = 65). After 3 months, collaborative care was more effective on the primary outcome measure of treatment response (i.e. reduction in symptoms of ≥50%) on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). However, the groups did not differ on the PHQ-9 as a continuous outcome measure. Implications of these results are discussed.

Predicting return to work in workers with all-cause sickness absence greater than 4 weeks: a prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Long-term sickness absence is a major public health and economic problem. Evidence is lacking for factors that are associated with return to work (RTW) in sick-listed workers. The aim of this study is to examine factors associated with the duration until full RTW in workers sick-listed due to any cause for at least 4 weeks. METHODS: In this cohort study, health-related, personal and job-related factors were measured at entry into the study. Workers were followed until 1 year after the start of sickness absence to determine the duration until full RTW. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: Data were collected from N = 730 workers. During the first year after the start of sickness absence, 71% of the workers had full RTW, 9.1% was censored because they resigned, and 19.9% did not have full RTW. High physical job demands (HR .562, CI .348-.908), contact with medical specialists (HR .691, CI .560-.854), high physical symptoms (HR .744, CI .583-.950), moderate to severe depressive symptoms (HR .748, CI .569-.984) and older age (HR .776, CI .628-.958) were associated with a longer duration until RTW in sick-listed workers. CONCLUSIONS: Sick-listed workers with older age, moderate to severe depressive symptoms, high physical symptoms, high physical job demands and contact with medical specialists are at increased risk for a longer duration of sickness absence. OPs need to be aware of these factors to identify workers who will most likely benefit from an early intervention.

More co-morbid depression in patients with Type 2 diabetes with multiple complications. An observational study at a specialized outpatient clinic.

AIMS: The impact of depression on patients with chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes is well documented. Depression is relatively common in diabetes patients with diabetes-related complications and they are more likely to be referred to specialized outpatient facilities. Only a few studies have addressed the association between depression and multiple diabetes-related complications at these specialized outpatient facilities. The aim of this study was to determine the association between diabetes with multiple complications and depression in patients with Type 2 diabetes at a specialized outpatient clinic. METHODS: After giving informed consent, 1194 patients were screened for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Additional data on the type of diabetes and complications were taken from the medical records. Logistic regression analysis was conducted, with complications as the predictor variable and the probability of depression as the dependent variable. RESULTS: A total of 596 (63%) patients with Type 2 diabetes participated in the study. The presence of two or more complications (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.02­2.94) was significantly associated with depression. Neuropathy (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.10­2.77) and nephropathy (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.00­2.48) were especially related to depression. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Type 2 diabetes with two or more complications, especially neuropathy or nephropathy, are at high risk of depression. Knowing this can help clinicians identify patients at risk for depression and facilitate timely and adequate treatment.

Factors associated with work participation and work functioning in depressed workers: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with negative work outcomes such as reduced work participation (WP) (e.g., sick leave duration, work status) and work functioning (WF) (e.g., loss of productivity, work limitations). For the development of evidence-based interventions to improve these work outcomes, factors predicting WP and WF have to be identified. METHODS: This paper presents a systematic literature review of studies identifying factors associated with WP and WF of currently depressed workers. RESULTS: A total of 30 studies were found that addressed factors associated with WP (N = 19) or WF (N = 11). For both outcomes, studies reported most often on the relationship with disorder-related factors, whereas personal factors and work-related factors were less frequently addressed. For WP, the following relationships were supported: strong evidence was found for the association between a long duration of the depressive episode and work disability. Moderate evidence was found for the associations between more severe types of depressive disorder, presence of co-morbid mental or physical disorders, older age, a history of previous sick leave, and work disability. For WF, severe depressive symptoms were associated with work limitations, and clinical improvement was related to work productivity (moderate evidence). Due to the cross-sectional nature of about half of the studies, only few true prospective associations could be identified. CONCLUSION: Our study identifies gaps in knowledge regarding factors predictive of WP and WF in depressed workers and can be used for the design of future research and evidence-based interventions. We recommend undertaking more longitudinal studies to identify modifiable factors predictive of WP and WF, especially work-related and personal factors.