Results of long-term follow-up study of inpatient psychotherapy followed by systematic outpatient psychotherapeutic aftercare.

ABSTRACT

Outpatient psychotherapeutic aftercare (Curriculum Hannover) was introduced nationwide in 2000 by pension insurance. We present the results of the 5-year follow-up which are very rare in inpatient treatment. This study utilized a post-treatment design and compared two groups. The treatment group with 52 participants had concluded inpatient treatment and had started then outpatient psychotherapeutic aftercare. The 43 persons of the control group had gotten only the inpatient treatment. All participants answered the following questionnaires Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), a German version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (Allgemeine Depressionsskala [ADS]) and Complaint List. In addition, sociomedical aspects as dependence on insurance benefits, periods of disability, applications for rehabilitation, and percentage of retirement were collected. The participants of the treatment group were able to maintain or stabilize their mental health better than the participants of the control group. The participants' dependence on insurance benefits was also reduced (p < 0.1). Nevertheless, no significant differences arose between participants and the comparison group during the periods of paying into insurance. The results of this long-term follow-up study suggest patients receiving an aftercare treatment have better chance to support their state of health.