The role of symptom reduction in improving health-related quality of life through brief cognitive behavioral therapy.

Brief cognitive behavior therapy (bCBT) is effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders and improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, the mechanisms through which cognitive behavior therapy impact HRQoL are not well understood. This study evaluated whether anxiety and depression symptom reduction is a mechanism of treatment for HRQoL outcomes. METHOD: Using secondary data from a multisite, pragmatic, randomized trial, this study evaluated bCBT vs enhanced usual care in 16 VA community-based outpatient clinics. Ordinary least-squares path analysis testing multiple mediators was used to evaluate the role of change in depression and anxiety symptoms in the relationship between treatment condition and HRQoL. RESULTS: Receiving bCBT (vs. enhanced usual care) was significantly negatively associated with change (reduction) in depression and anxiety scores. The indirect effect of treatment on mental HRQoL was significant with change in depression scores as mediator. A similar pattern was observed for physical HRQoL and change in anxiety scores as mediator. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms as a mechanism through which bCBT for depression promoted improvements in HRQoL, with important implications for understanding how CBT impacts functioning, as well as the utility of bCBT in nontraditional mental health settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02466126.

Testing the Impact of a Collaborative, Goal-Setting, and Behavioral Telehealth Intervention on Diabetes Distress: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background:Diabetes distress is underrecognized and associated with poor outcomes. This study tested whether a 12-month collaborative, goal-setting, and behavioral telehealth intervention reduced diabetes distress levels.Methods:This is a secondary analysis of the Healthy Outcomes through Patient Empowerment (HOPE) study that included individuals (N = 225) with uncontrolled diabetes and depression living at least 20 miles from a Veteran's Affairs medical center. Participants were randomized to HOPE (intervention) or Enhanced Usual Care (EUC) with education. We evaluated diabetes distress levels as measured by the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) Questionnaire and its four subscales (emotional, diabetes management, social, and treatment distress) at baseline, 6, and 12 months.Results:Between-group analysis revealed greater improvements in HOPE versus EUC for: 6-month PAID total score (p = 0.04), emotional (p = 0.03), and social (p = 0.04) subscales; 12-month PAID total score (p = 0.07) and emotional subscale (p = 0.07). Within-group comparisons showed larger effect sizes for HOPE compared with EUC: 12-month PAID total scores (0.82 vs. 0.54), 6-month emotional burden (0.54 vs. 0.31), and 6-month (0.32 vs. 0.08) and 12-month (0.41 vs. 0.12) social burdens. Repeated-measures analysis evaluating treatment group and time trended toward improvement in PAID overall for HOPE compared with EUC participants, but was not statistically significant (ß = 6.96; SE = 4.35; p = 0.13).Discussion:Clinically meaningful reductions in PAID overall and the emotional and social subscales were observed in HOPE compared with EUC participants.Conclusion:Further evaluation of diabetes telehealth interventions that include other facets related to diabetes distress, including treatment, diabetes management, social, and emotional burdens, is warranted. Clinical Trial Number. NCT01572389; Clinical Trial Registry. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01572389.

Presence of PTSD is Associated with Clinical and Functional Impact in Veterans with Depression Treated in Community-Based Clinics.

Providers in non-traditional mental health settings (e.g., primary care, community medical clinics) face challenges involving patients who often present with multiple mental health conditions, but require rapid assessment and treatment. To help address this challenge, this study characterized differences in health symptom severity and mental health treatment perceptions between depressed Veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) served in community medical clinics. Relative to depressed Veterans without PTSD (N = 62), depressed Veterans with PTSD (N = 122) endorsed greater depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, pain, and insomnia symptoms, as well as lower functioning. Veterans with depression and PTSD also reported greater mental health needs, prior utilization of mental health services, and higher perceived importance of mental health treatment. Results highlight the complexity of comorbid mental health conditions frequently seen in community medical care clinics and suggest that patients with comorbid mental health difficulties may present with a complex array of mental health symptoms.

The Impact of Integrating Physical Health into a Brief CBT Approach for Medically Ill Veterans.

The current study explored the use and preliminary outcomes of physical health treatment elements integrated into a traditional brief cognitive behavioral therapy (bCBT) approach for medically ill veterans with depression and/or anxiety. Data were collected as part of a pragmatic randomized trial examining patient outcomes of bCBT versus an enhanced usual care condition. bCBT was delivered to participants by Veterans Health Administration (VA) mental health providers in the primary care setting. Using a skill-based approach, providers and participants selected modules from a list of intervention strategies. Modules included Taking Control of Your Physical Health, Using Thoughts to Improve Wellness, Increasing Pleasant Activities, and Learning How to Relax. Skill module use and impact on treatment completion and clinical outcomes were explored for participants randomized to bCBT who received at least one skill module (n = 127). Utilization data showed that participants and providers most commonly selected the physical health module for the first skill session. Receiving the "physical health" and "thoughts" modules earlier in treatment were associated with a higher likelihood of treatment completion (defined as four or more sessions). Preliminary outcome data suggest that the physical health skill module was equally effective or superior to other bCBT skill modules. Results suggest that incorporating physical health elements with a bCBT approach hold the potential to positively impact treatment engagement/completion and may result in improved outcomes for medically ill patient populations.

Integrated Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Improves Illness Intrusiveness in Veterans With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Progressive illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) impart a high level of physical and psychological burden. Evidence-based psychotherapies hold the potential to improve perceptions of physical health impairment, yet few studies have documented these effects. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of brief cognitive behavioral therapy (bCBT) on disease-related illness intrusiveness. Methods: Participants were 175 Veterans with COPD and clinically elevated symptoms of depression and/or anxiety enrolled in a larger randomized trial (n = 99 randomized to bCBT, n = 76 to enhanced usual care; EUC). bCBT included up to six treatment sessions and optional booster sessions over a 4-month period. EUC entailed an assessment with documentation in the medical record. Primary outcomes focused on posttreatment changes on the Illness Intrusiveness Rating Scale (IIRS), an established measure of perceived impairment from a chronic health condition. Results: Illness intrusiveness improved for bCBT participants relative to EUC, after controlling for baseline IIRS scores, depression, and anxiety (p = .03, partial η2 = .03). Specific improvement was observed in the Instrumental subscale (p = .02), encompassing improved intrusiveness of COPD on daily activities and daily functioning. IIRS scores improved in the absence of changes in physical functioning. Conclusions: Illness intrusiveness was high among Veterans with COPD but improved over the course of bCBT. Integrated behavioral health interventions hold the potential to reduce disease intrusiveness. The IIRS may be a valuable tool to augment traditional assessment and measurement-based care approaches of behavioral health interventions for medically ill patients.

A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Psychological Treatments for IBS in Gastroenterology Settings: Promising but in Need of Further Study.

BACKGROUND: Psychological treatments are efficacious for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in clinical trials; however, their effectiveness when conducted in gastroenterology practice settings is unclear. AIM: To perform a systematic review of the types and effects of psychological treatments for IBS conducted in gastroenterology clinics. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane central register. Studies conducted in gastroenterology clinic settings with IBS patients who were clinically referred from gastroenterology were included. RESULTS: We identified 3078 citations, of which only eight studies were eligible. Seven studies compared psychological treatments (average n = 25.7; range 12-43) to controls (average n = 25.4 patients; range 12-47), whereas one study compared two active "bonafide" interventions. Psychological treatments varied (cognitive-behavioral therapy, guided affective imagery, mindfulness, hypnosis, biofeedback, emotional awareness training). However, across approaches, short-term benefits were seen. IBS symptoms improved significantly among patients in cognitive and behavioral therapies, mindfulness-based stress reduction, guided affective imagery, and emotional awareness training compared with controls; there was a similar trend for gut-directed hypnotherapy. Similarly, IBS symptoms improved in a study of two active biofeedback and hypnosis treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for the effectiveness of psychological treatment in gastroenterology practice is promising but limited. Study designs that involve a blending of efficacy and effectiveness components are needed.

Cognitive and Perceptual Factors, Not Disease Severity, Are Linked with Anxiety in COPD: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study.

PURPOSE: Guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine clinical factors-demographics, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) severity, cognitive/perceptual variables (appraisal and coping)-and their relationship to clinically elevated symptoms of anxiety in a sample of veterans with COPD. METHOD: Participants included a sample of veterans with COPD, with or without comorbid congestive heart failure, and clinically significant symptoms of anxiety (n = 172, mean age = 65.3, SD = 8.1), who previously presented to an outpatient VA setting. Participants completed questionnaires examining COPD severity (respiratory impairment and dyspnea- and fatigue-related quality of life); perceptions of a stressor (COPD illness intrusiveness); perceptions of control (locus of health control, mastery over COPD, self-efficacy); coping strategies (adaptive and maladaptive); and anxiety and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Multivariable linear regressions revealed that anxiety was positively associated with more maladaptive coping and locus of control (attributed to other people), above and beyond disease severity, demographics, and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that cognitive and perceptual factors are concurrent with anxiety; however, longitudinal investigations are needed to fully understand this relationship. Future research should also focus on identifying optimal assessment and treatment procedures when evaluating and treating patients with COPD and symptoms of anxiety. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01149772.

The Role of Affect and Coping in Diabetes Self-Management in Rural Adults with Uncontrolled Diabetes and Depressive Symptoms.

Many patients with diabetes have poorly controlled blood sugar levels and remain at risk for serious diabetes complications, despite access to effective diabetes treatments and services. Using the transactional model of stress and coping framework, the study investigated the contributions of affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and coping (maladaptive and adaptive coping from the Brief Cope) on diabetes self-management behaviors, namely diet and exercise. One hundred seventy-eight rural adults with uncontrolled diabetes and moderate depressive symptoms completed the measures. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that positive affect and negative affect were significantly associated with diet and exercise, even after adjusting for diabetes severity, illness intrusiveness, and diabetes knowledge. However, two path analyses clarified that adaptive coping mediated the relationships between affect (positive and negative) and self-management behaviors (diet and exercise). Comprehensive diabetes treatments that include self-management support can assist patients in recognition and use of adaptive emotion-focused coping skills.

Delivery of Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Medically Ill Patients in Primary Care: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the practical effectiveness and implementation potential of brief psychotherapies that integrate mental and physical health. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an integrated brief cognitive behavioral therapy (bCBT), delivered by mental health providers in primary care, would improve depression, anxiety and quality of life for medically ill veterans. DESIGN: Pragmatic patient-randomized trial comparing bCBT to enhanced usual care (EUC). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 302 participants with heart failure and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with elevated symptoms of depression and/or anxiety were enrolled from two Veterans Health Administration primary care clinics. INTERVENTION: bCBT was delivered to 180 participants by staff mental health providers (n = 19). bCBT addressed physical and emotional health using a modular, skill-based approach. bCBT was delivered in person or by telephone over 4 months. Participants randomized to EUC (n = 122) received a mental health assessment documented in their medical record. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcomes included depression (Patient Health Questionnaire) and anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory). Secondary outcomes included health-related quality of life. Assessments occurred at baseline, posttreatment (4 months), and 8- and 12-month follow-up. KEY RESULTS: Participants received, on average, 3.9 bCBT sessions with 63.3% completing treatment (4+ sessions). bCBT improved symptoms of depression (p = 0.004; effect size, d = 0.33) and anxiety (p < 0.001; d = 0.37) relative to EUC at posttreatment, with effects maintained at 8 and 12 months. Health-related quality of life improved posttreatment for bCBT participants with COPD but not for heart failure. Health-related quality of life outcomes were not maintained at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated bCBT is acceptable to participants and providers, appears feasible for delivery in primary care settings and is effective for medically ill veterans with depression and anxiety. Improvements for both depression and anxiety were modest but persistent, and the impact on physical health outcomes was limited to shorter-term effects and COPD participants. Clinical trials.Gov identifier: NCT01149772.

Expanding the geriatric mental health workforce through utilization of non-licensed providers.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluate policy and practice strategies for bolstering the geriatric mental healthcare workforce and describe costs and considerations of implementing one approach. METHOD: Narrative overview of the literature and policy retrieved from searches of databases, hand searches, and authoritative texts. We identified three proposed strategies to increase the geriatric mental healthcare workforce: (1) production of more geriatric mental health providers; (2) team-based care; and (3) non-licensed providers. We evaluate each in terms of challenges and potential and provide estimates of costs, policy, and practice considerations for training, employing, and supervising non-licensed mental health providers. RESULTS: Use of non-licensed providers is key to reforms needed to allow a more older adults to access necessary mental healthcare. Licensed and non-licensed providers have achieved similar improvements for generalized anxiety disorder among patients, although non-licensed providers did so at a lower cost. CONCLUSION: Supervised non-licensed providers can extend the reach of licensed providers for specific mental health conditions, resulting in lower costs and increased number of patients treated. Although several barriers to implementation exist, policy and infrastructure changes that may support this type of care delivery model are emerging from reforms in financing and associated delivery initiatives created by the Affordable Care Act.

Telephone-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Older, Rural Veterans with Depression and Anxiety in Home-Based Primary Care.

OBJECTIVES: Rural, homebound older adults are at increased risk for anxiety and depression and have limited access to mental health services. These individuals face many barriers to receiving evidence-based mental health treatment and would benefit from interventions that increase access to and efficiency of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate use of a telephone-delivered, modular, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for both late-life depression and anxiety delivered to rural, homebound Veterans. METHODS: Three cases are presented to illustrate the flexible adaptation of the intervention for use among older Veterans enrolled in home-based primary care, with varying symptom presentations and functional limitations. The Veterans received 7 to 9 sessions of the CBT intervention, with ordering of skill modules based on symptom presentation and determined collaboratively between patient and therapist. RESULTS: The three Veterans showed improvement in depression and/or anxiety symptoms following treatment and provided positive feedback regarding their experiences in this program. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that telephone-delivered CBT is acceptable to older adults and can be tailored to individual patient needs. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians should consider telephone-delivered CBT as an alternate mode of therapy to increase access to mental health care for rural, homebound individuals with depression and anxiety.

Cognitive behavior therapy for late-life generalized anxiety disorder delivered by lay and expert providers has lasting benefits.

OBJECTIVE: Peaceful Living, a cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for late-life generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), produced positive outcomes in GAD severity, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and mental health quality of life relative to usual care with treatment delivered by either bachelor-level lay providers (BLPs) or PhD-level expert providers (PLPs). We examined long-term maintenance of gains during 12 months following CBT for patients in this trial who received the intervention delivered by BLPs and PLPs and completed post-treatment assessments. METHODS: Participants were 112 older adults (mean age, 66.83 years) with GAD recruited from primary care who received CBT from BLPs (n = 52) or PLPs (n = 60) and completed post-treatment assessments. Assessments were given at post-treatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Primary outcomes assessed long-term maintenance of gains in worry (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Severity Scale) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale). Secondary outcomes assessed depression (Patient Health Questionnaire), mental health quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form - mental wellness scale), and sleep (Insomnia Severity Index). RESULTS: At 6- and 12-month follow-ups, post-treatment reductions in GAD severity, anxiety, depression, and improvements in mental health quality of life and sleep were maintained for patients in both groups. No differences were found, based on provider group. CONCLUSION: Treatment of late-life anxiety delivered by nonexpert lay providers working under supervision of licensed providers has lasting benefits. These findings support the potential of new models of care for older adults that may expand reach of mental health services. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Building a primary care/research partnership: lessons learned from a telehealth intervention for diabetes and depression.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence-based interventions are often poorly translated into primary care settings due to inadequate integration into organizational cultures and clinical workflows. Study designs that blend evaluation of effectiveness and implementation may enhance uptake of interventions into primary care settings. Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) models are useful for developing partnerships between research teams and primary care clinical partners to test blended study designs. METHODS: We conducted a formative evaluation of partnership building between a health services research team and a primary care community in US Veterans Affairs Health System to conduct a randomized effectiveness trial of an intervention embedded in routine primary care. The formative evaluation used qualitative data drawn from research/clinical partnership meetings. Data were coded and analysed using qualitative framework analysis. RESULTS: The CBPR model guided development of a research/clinical partnership based on a facilitation team consisting of 'external facilitators' (research team), 'internal facilitators' (primary care leadership) and a 'clinical advisory committee' drawn from the primary care community. Qualitative themes focused on: how the intervention components ('evidence') aligned with local clinical cultures, barriers and facilitators to acceptance and adoption of the intervention processes within the context of clinical workflows and identified 'facilitators' of intervention uptake and sustainability. CONCLUSION: A CBPR model can guide the development of research/clinical partnerships. Partnerships can identify barriers and craft modifications to intervention procedures that promote integration and into primary care workflows. Formative research/clinical partnerships are critical for designing and testing interventions focused on implementation and sustainability of new evidence within routine primary care.

Predictors of change in quality of life in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND: Quality of life (QOL) is lower in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). QOL generally improves following cognitive-behavioral treatment for GAD. Little is known, however, about additional variables predicting changes in QOL in older adults with GAD. This study examined predictors of change in QOL among older participants in a randomized clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for GAD, relative to enhanced usual care (EUC). METHODS: Hierarchical multilevel mixed-model analyses were used to examine inter-individual and intra-individual factors that predicted QOL over time. Predictors were categorized into treatment, personal and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: QOL improved over time, and there was significant variability between participants in change in QOL. Controlling for treatment condition, baseline general self-efficacy, baseline social support, within-person variation in worry and depression and average levels of depression across different time points predicted changes in QOL. CONCLUSIONS: QOL has increasingly been used as an outcome measure in treatment outcome studies to focus on overall improvement in functioning. Attention to improvement in symptoms of depression and worry, along with psychosocial variables, such as social support and self-efficacy, may help improve QOL in older adults with GAD. This study was a secondary study of data from a randomized clinical trial (NCT00308724) registered with clinical.trials.gov.

Alcohol use, anxiety, and insomnia in older adults with generalized anxiety disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To examine alcohol consumption among older primary care patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); its relationship to demographic variables, insomnia, worry, and anxiety; and its moderating role on the anxiety-insomnia relationship. We expected alcohol use to be similar to previous reports, correlate with higher anxiety and insomnia, and worsen the anxiety-insomnia relationship. DESIGN: Baseline data from a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine. PARTICIPANTS: 223 patients, 60 years and older, with GAD. MEASUREMENTS: Frequency of alcohol use, insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index), worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire - Abbreviated, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Severity Scale), and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Trait subscale, Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [SIGH-A]). RESULTS: Most patients endorsed alcohol use, but frequency was low. Presence and frequency were greater than in previous reports of primary care samples. Alcohol use was associated with higher education, female gender, less severe insomnia, and lower worry (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Severity Scale) and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait subscale; SIGH-A). Whites reported more drinks/week than African-Americans. More drinks/week were associated with higher education and lower anxiety (SIGH-A). Weaker relationships between worry/anxiety and insomnia occurred for those drinking. Drink frequency moderated the positive association between the Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Abbreviated and insomnia, which was lower with higher frequency of drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with GAD use alcohol at an increased rate, but mild to moderate drinkers do not experience sleep difficulties. A modest amount of alcohol may minimize the association between anxiety/worry and insomnia among this group.

Lay providers can deliver effective cognitive behavior therapy for older adults with generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: The Institute of Medicine recommends developing a broader workforce of mental health providers, including nontraditional providers, to expand services for older adults. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is effective for late-life generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), but no study has examined outcomes with delivery by lay providers working under the supervision of licensed providers. The current study examined the effects of CBT delivered by lay, bachelor-level providers (BLP) relative to Ph.D.-level expert providers (PLP), and usual care (UC) in older adults with GAD. METHODS: Participants were 223 older adults (mean age, 66.9 years) with GAD recruited from primary care clinics at two sites and assigned randomly to BLP (n = 76), PLP (n = 74), or UC (n = 73). Assessments occurred at baseline and 6 months. CBT in BLP and PLP included core and elective modules (3 months: skills training; 3 months: skills review) delivered in person and by telephone, according to patient choice. RESULTS: CBT in both BLP and PLP groups significantly improved GAD severity (GAD Severity Scale), anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety Scale), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire), insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index), and mental health quality of life (Short-Form-12), relative to UC. Response rates defined by 20% reduction from pre- to posttreatment in at least three of four primary outcomes were higher for study completers in BLP and PLP relative to UC (BLP: 38.5%; PLP: 40.0%; UC: 19.1%). CONCLUSION: Lay providers, working under the supervision of licensed providers, can deliver effective CBT.

Behavioral health coaching for rural veterans with diabetes and depression: a patient randomized effectiveness implementation trial.

BACKGROUND: Depression and diabetes cause significant burden for patients and the healthcare system and, when co-occurring, result in poorer self-care behaviors and worse glycemic control than for either condition alone. However, the clinical management of these comorbid conditions is complicated by a host of patient, provider, and system-level barriers that are especially problematic for patients in rural locations. Patient-centered medical homes provide an opportunity to integrate mental and physical health care to address the multifaceted needs of complex comorbid conditions. Presently, there is a need to not only develop robust clinical interventions for complex medically ill patients but also to find feasible ways to embed these interventions into the frontlines of existing primary care practices. METHODS/DESIGN: This randomized controlled trial uses a hybrid effectiveness-implementation design to evaluate the Healthy Outcomes through Patient Empowerment (HOPE) intervention, which seeks to simultaneously address diabetes and depression for rural veterans in Southeast Texas. A total of 242 Veterans with uncontrolled diabetes and comorbid symptoms of depression will be recruited and randomized to either the HOPE intervention or to a usual-care arm. Participants will be evaluated on a host of diabetes and depression-related measures at baseline and 6- and 12-month follow-up. The trial has two primary goals: 1) to examine the effectiveness of the intervention on both physical (diabetes) and emotional health (depression) outcomes and 2) to simultaneously pilot test a multifaceted implementation strategy designed to increase fidelity and utilization of the intervention by coaches interfacing within the primary care setting. DISCUSSION: This ongoing blended effectiveness-implementation design holds the potential to advance the science and practice of caring for complex medically ill patients within the constraints of a busy patient-centered medical home. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Behavioral Activation Therapy for Rural Veterans with Diabetes and Depression: NCT01572389.

Brief Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Community Clinics: A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined whether brief cognitive-behavioral therapy (bCBT) for depression, delivered by mental health providers in community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) of the Veterans Health Administration, improved depression outcomes and was feasible and acceptable in clinical settings. METHODS: The authors used a type-2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation, patient-randomized trial to compare bCBT with enhanced usual care. Participants (N=189) with moderate symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9] score ≥10) were enrolled from CBOCs in the southern United States. bCBT (N=109) consisted of three to six sessions, delivered by mental health providers (N=17) as part of routine clinic practices. Providers received comprehensive training and support to facilitate bCBT delivery. Recipients of enhanced usual care (N=80) were given educational materials and encouraged to discuss treatment options with their primary care provider. The primary effectiveness outcome was PHQ-9-assessed depression symptoms posttreatment (4 months after baseline) and at 8- and 12-month follow-ups. Implementation outcomes focused on bCBT dose received, provider fidelity, and satisfaction with bCBT training and support. RESULTS: bCBT improved depression symptoms (Cohen's d=0.55, p<0.01) relative to enhanced usual care posttreatment, and the improvement was maintained at 8- and 12-month follow-ups (p=0.004). bCBT participants received a mean±SD of 3.7±2.7 sessions (range 0-9), and 64% completed treatment (≥3 sessions). Providers delivered bCBT with fidelity and reported that bCBT training and support were feasible and effective. CONCLUSIONS: bCBT had a modest treatment footprint of approximately four sessions, was acceptable to participants and providers, was feasible for delivery in CBOCs, and produced meaningful sustained improvements in depression.

Provider perceptions and use of mental health services in the Veterans Health Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered the way in which health care is delivered, challenging providers, and systems of care to innovate to maintain access to services. This article describes the delivery of mental health services during the pandemic in two Veterans Health Administration (VHA) regions that include 15 hospitals and over 100 outpatient facilities in the southern United States. Data were derived from (a) a survey of provider perspectives (n = 1,175) on delivering mental health care prior to and during the pandemic and (b) VHA administrative data on mental health service delivery. Providers reported that access, quality, and timeliness of services remained high during the pandemic; indicated increased use of telehealth services; and reported challenges in delivering evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) and measurement-based care (MBC). Administrative data indicated no drop in the number of Veterans receiving mental health care during the pandemic but showed fewer total visits relative to prepandemic levels and confirmed a dramatic increase in telehealth services during the first 6 months of the pandemic (+ 459% telephone and + 202% video) and a decrease in use of EBPs (-28%) and MBC (-31%). Data at 12 months showed a continued increase in video services (+ 357%) and modest improvement in EBP and MBC use. Rapid shifts in the use of telehealth services, coupled with organizational efforts, ensured that Veterans continued to have access to mental health services during the pandemic. Although mental health services remained accessible, challenges existed in the delivery of specialized mental health services, including EBPs and MBC. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).