Mortality in adult children of parents with alcohol use disorder: a nationwide register study.

Research suggests that adult children of parents with harmful alcohol use are at increased risk for premature death. This national cohort study investigated mortality in adult children of parents with alcohol use disorder (AUD), adjusting for sociodemographic variables. The study used 1973 to 2018 data from Swedish national registers to compare mortality risk in children who had ≥ 1 parent with AUD (ICD-10 code F10 and its ICD-8 and ICD-9 equivalents) (n = 122,947) and those who did not (n = 2,298,532). A Cox regression model adjusted for year of birth, sex, parental education, and childhood loss of a parent was used. Before the age of 18 years, about 5% of children born in Sweden lived with ≥ 1 parent who had a clinical diagnosis of AUD. Overall mortality was higher in adult children of parents with AUD: hazard ratio (HR) 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.71-1.82. Mortality remained elevated after adjustments for sociodemographic factors (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.40-1.50). Children of parents with AUD had increased mortality from all investigated causes. The highest excess risk was for death from drug-related causes (excluding accidental poisonings) (HR 3.08, 95% CI 2.74-3.46). For most causes, mortality was higher if the mother had AUD than if the father had AUD. Patterns of mortality were similar in both sexes. This study provides evidence that parental AUD raises the risk of offspring mortality from preventable causes such as drug use, suicide (HR 2.16, 95% CI 1.98-2.36), accident (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.87-2.13), and assault (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.38-2.24).

Cost-effectiveness of a care manager collaborative care programme for patients with depression in primary care: 12-month economic evaluation of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To study the cost-effectiveness of a care manager organization for patients with mild to moderate depression in Swedish primary care in a 12-month perspective. METHODS: Cost-effectiveness analysis of the care manager organization compared to care as usual (CAU) in a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial including 192 individuals in the care manager group and 184 in the CAU group. Cost-effectiveness was assessed from a health care and societal perspectives. Costs were assessed in relation to two different health outcome measures: depression free days (DFDs) and quality adjusted life years (QALYs). RESULTS: At the 12-month follow-up, patients treated at the intervention Primary Care Centres (PCCs) with a care manager organization had larger health benefits than the group receiving usual care only at control PCCs. Mean QALY per patient was 0.73 (95% CI 0.7; 0.75) in the care manager group compared to 0.70 (95% CI 0.66; 0.73) in the CAU group. Mean DFDs was 203 (95% CI 178; 229) in the care manager group and 155 (95% CI 131; 179) in the CAU group. Further, from a societal perspective, care manager care was associated with a lower cost than care as usual, resulting in a dominant incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for both QALYs and DFDs. From a health care perspective care manager care was related to a low cost per QALY (36,500 SEK / €3,379) and DFD (31 SEK/€3). LIMITATIONS: A limitation is the fact that QALY data was impaired by insufficient EQ-5D data for some patients. CONCLUSIONS: A care manager organization at the PCC to increase quality of care for patients with mild-moderate depression shows high health benefits, with no decay over time, and high cost-effectiveness both from a health care and a societal perspective. Trial registration details: The trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.com ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02378272 ) in 02/02/2015 with the registration number NCT02378272. The first patient was enrolled in 11/20/2014.

Mortality trends in external causes of death in people with mental health disorders in Sweden, 1987-2010.

AIM: We investigated mortality from external causes in Swedish people who had been hospitalised with a severe mental disorder. METHODS: Hospitalisations in people aged 15 years or older admitted to hospital with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder or unipolar mood disorder between 1987 and 2010 were linked to their causes of death. RESULTS: The mortality rate from all external causes was 20-fold higher in those with unipolar mood disorder, 15-fold higher in those with bipolar disorder and 12-fold higher in those with schizophrenia than in the general population. Over the study periods, the mortality rate declined more for people with unipolar mood disorder (-35%) and schizophrenia (-29%) than the total population (-25%) and those with bipolar mood disorder (-15%). The suicide rate declined most for those with unipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia (-42% for both) and less for the general population (-37%) and those with bipolar mood disorder (-21%). For external causes other than suicide, the mortality rate declined in the general population (-17%) but increased in people with schizophrenia (14%), bipolar mood disorder (30%) and unipolar mood disorder (52%). CONCLUSIONS: People with mental disorders have high but declining excess mortality from suicide. Mortality from other external causes has increased, as has the gap in mortality rates between psychiatric patients and the general population.

Care managers can be useful for patients with depression but their role must be clear: a qualitative study of GPs' experiences.

Objective: Explore general practitioners' (GPs') views on and experiences of working with care managers for patients treated for depression in primary care settings. Care managers are specially trained health care professionals, often specialist nurses, who coordinate care for patients with chronic diseases. Design: Qualitative content analysis of five focus-group discussions. Setting: Primary health care centers in the Region of Västra Götaland and Dalarna County, Sweden. Subjects: 29 GPs. Main outcome measures: GPs' views and experiences of care managers for patients with depression. Results: GPs expressed a broad variety of views and experiences. Care managers could ensure care quality while freeing GPs from case management by providing support for patients and security and relief for GPs and by coordinating patient care. GPs could also express concern about role overlap; specifically, that GPs are already care managers, that too many caregivers disrupt patient contact, and that the roles of care managers and psychotherapists seem to compete. GPs thought care managers should be assigned to patients who need them the most (e.g. patients with life difficulties or severe mental health problems). They also found that transition to a chronic care model required change, including alterations in the way GPs worked and changes that made depression treatment more like treatment for other chronic diseases. Conclusion: GPs have varied experiences of care managers. As a complementary part of the primary health care team, care managers can be useful for patients with depression, but team members' roles must be clear. KEY POINTS A growing number of primary health care centers are introducing care managers for patients with depression, but knowledge about GPs' experiences of this kind of collaborative care is limited. GPs find that care managers provide support for patients and security and relief for GPs. GPs are concerned about potential role overlap and desire greater latitude in deciding which patients can be assigned a care manager. GPs think depression can be treated using a chronic care model that includes care managers but that adjusting to the new way of working will take time.

Patients' experiences of motivation, change, and challenges in group treatment for insomnia in primary care: a focus group study.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients who seek help for insomnia do so in primary health care. Nurse-led group treatment in primary care based on cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) can lead to improvements in both day- and nighttime symptoms. This study aimed to explore patients' experiences of nurse-led group treatment for insomnia in primary health care. METHODS: Seventeen patients who had participated in the group treatment program were interviewed in five focus groups. Interview transcriptions were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Four themes emerged that described patients' experiences of the group treatment program. Involvement and trust open the door for change: Motivation to engage in treatment arose from patients' own desire for change, from being together with others who shared or understood their struggles, and from feeling emotionally affirmed and trustful. Competence arising from deeper understanding: Patients obtained knowledge and made it their own, which enabled them to develop functional sleep habits and let go of sleep performance and worry. The ability to impact their insomnia increased patients' trust in their own efficacy and helped them persist in behavioral change. Struggling with vulnerability and failure: Treatment was tough, and patients could feel challenged by external circumstances. Moreover, they could distrust their own efficacy. Tailoring treatment to individual needs: Patients experienced different life circumstances and adapted the techniques to their needs and abilities by focusing on what felt right for them. CONCLUSIONS: Patients went through a process of motivation, change, and challenges. They experienced certain aspects of treatment as essential to changing behavior and achieving improvements. Examples included being in a group with others who shared similar experiences, gaining knowledge about sleep, keeping a sleep diary, and practicing the sleep restriction technique. The study provides insights into patients' struggles during treatment, both those related to external circumstances and those related to feelings of vulnerability and failure. It also highlights the importance of adapting treatment to patients' differing needs, underscoring the value of person-centered care.

Clinical effectiveness of care managers in collaborative care for patients with depression in Swedish primary health care: a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Depression is one of the leading causes of disability and affects 10-15% of the population. The majority of people with depressive symptoms seek care and are treated in primary care. Evidence internationally for high quality care supports collaborative care with a care manager. Our aim was to study clinical effectiveness of a care manager intervention in management of primary care patients with depression in Sweden. METHODS: In a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial 23 primary care centers (PCCs), urban and rural, included patients aged ≥ 18 years with a new (< 1 month) depression diagnosis. Intervention consisted of Care management including continuous contact between care manager and patient, a structured management plan, and behavioral activation, altogether around 6-7 contacts over 12 weeks. Control condition was care as usual (CAU). OUTCOME MEASURES: Depression symptoms (measured by Mongomery-Asberg depression score-self (MADRS-S) and BDI-II), quality of life (QoL) (EQ-5D), return to work and sick leave, service satisfaction, and antidepressant medication. Data were analyzed with the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: One hundred ninety two patients with depression at PCCs with care managers were allocated to the intervention group, and 184 patients at control PCCs were allocated to the control group. Mean depression score measured by MADRS-S was 2.17 lower in the intervention vs. the control group (95% CI [0.56; 3.79], p = 0.009) at 3 months and 2.27 lower (95% CI [0.59; 3.95], p = 0.008) at 6 months; corresponding BDI-II scores were 1.96 lower (95% CI [- 0.19; 4.11], p = 0.07) in the intervention vs. control group at 6 months. Remission was significantly higher in the intervention group at 6 months (61% vs. 47%, p = 0.006). QoL showed a steeper increase in the intervention group at 3 months (p = 0.01). During the first 3 months, return to work was significantly higher in the intervention vs. the control group. Patients in the intervention group were more consistently on antidepressant medication than patients in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Care managers for depression treatment have positive effects on depression course, return to work, remission frequency, antidepressant frequency, and quality of life compared to usual care and is valued by the patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Identifier: NCT02378272 . February 2, 2015. Retrospectively registered.

Creating a safety net for patients with depression in primary care; a qualitative study of care managers' experiences.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore nurses' experiences and perceptions of working as care managers at primary care centers. DESIGN: Qualitative, focus group study. Systematic text condensation was used to analyze the data. SETTING: Primary health care in the region of Västra Götaland and region of Dalarna in Sweden. SUBJECTS: Eight nurses were trained during three days including treatment of depression and how to work as care managers. The training was followed by continuous support. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The nurses' experiences and perceptions of working as care managers at primary care centers. RESULTS: The care managers described their role as providing additional support to the already existing care at the primary care center, working in teams with a person-centered focus, where they were given the opportunity to follow, support, and constitute a safety net for patients with depression. Further, they perceived that the care manager increased continuity and accessibility to primary care for patients with depression. CONCLUSION: The nurses perceived that working as care managers enabled them to follow and support patients with depression and to maintain close contact during the illness. The care manager function helped to provide continuity in care which is a main task of primary health care. Key Points The care managers described their role as an additional support to the already existing care at the primary care center. • They emphasized that as care managers, they had a person-centered focus and constituted a safety net for patients with depression. • Their role as care managers enabled them to follow and support patients with depression over time, which made their work more meaningful. • Care managers helped to achieve continuity and accessibility to primary health care for patients with depression.

Lithium treatment and cancer incidence in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether there is an increased risk of cancer associated with lithium treatment in patients with bipolar disorder compared to the general population. METHODS: A nationwide Swedish register study of incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of total cancer and site-specific cancer in the 50-84-year age range was carried out in patients with bipolar disorder (n = 5,442) with and without lithium treatment from July 2005 to December 2009 compared to the general population using linked information from The Swedish Cancer Register, The National Patient Register, and The Drug Prescription Register. RESULTS: The overall cancer risk was not increased in patients with bipolar disorder. There was no difference in risk of unspecified cancer, neither in patients with lithium treatment compared to the general population [IRR = 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-1.23] nor in patients with bipolar disorder without lithium treatment compared to the general population (IRR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.89-1.19). The cancer risk was significantly increased in patients with bipolar disorder without lithium treatment in the digestive organs (IRR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.12-1.93), in the respiratory system and intrathoracic organs (IRR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.11-2.66), and in the endocrine glands and related structures (IRR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.24-5.47), but in patients with bipolar disorder with lithium treatment, there was no significantly increased cancer risk compared to the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar disorder was not associated with increased cancer incidence and neither was lithium treatment in these patients. Specifically, there was an increased risk of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and endocrine cancer in patients with bipolar disorder without lithium treatment.

Mortality trends in cardiovascular causes in schizophrenia, bipolar and unipolar mood disorder in Sweden 1987-2010.

INTRODUCTION: People with severe mental illness have increased risk for premature mortality and thus a shorter life expectancy. Relative death rates are used to show the excess mortality among patients with mental health disorder but cannot be used for the comparisons by country, region and time. METHODS: A population-based register study including all Swedish patients in adult psychiatry admitted to hospital with a main diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar or unipolar mood disorder in 1987-2010 (614 035 person-years). Mortality rates adjusted for age, sex and period were calculated using direct standardization methods with the 2010 Swedish population as standard. Data on all residents aged 15 years or older were used as the comparison group. RESULTS: Patients with severe mental health disorders had a 3-fold mortality compared to general population. All-cause mortality decreased by 9% for people with bipolar mood disorder and by 26-27% for people with schizophrenia or unipolar mood disorder, while the decline in the general population was 30%. Also mortality from diseases of the circulatory system declined less for people with severe mental disorder (-35% to - 42%) than for general population (-49%). The pattern was similar for other cardiovascular deaths excluding cerebrovascular deaths for which the rate declined among people with schizophrenia (-30%) and unipolar mood disorder (-41%), unlike for people with bipolar mood disorder (-3%). CONCLUSIONS: People with mental health disorder have still elevated mortality. The mortality declined faster for general population than for psychiatric patients. More detailed analysis is needed to reveal causes-of-death with largest possibilities for improvement.

Patients' perspectives on the use of the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale self-assessment version in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to better understand how patients with depression perceive the use of MADRS-S in primary care consultations with GPs. DESIGN: Qualitative study. Focus group discussion and analysis through Systematic Text Condensation. SETTING: Primary Health Care, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden. SUBJECTS: Nine patients with mild/moderate depression who participated in a RCT evaluating the effects of regular use of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Self-assessment scale (MADRS-S) during the GP consultations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Patients' experiences and perceptions of the use of MADRS-S in primary care. RESULTS: Three categories emerged from the analysis: (I) confirmation; MADRS-S shows that I have depression and how serious it is, (II) centeredness; the most important thing is for the GP to listen to and take me seriously and (III) clarification; MADRS-S helps me understand why I need treatment for depression. CONCLUSION: Use of MADRS-S was perceived as a confirmation for the patients that they had depression and how serious it was. MADRS-S showed the patients something black on white that describes and confirms the diagnosis. The informants emphasized the importance of patient-centeredness; of being listened to and to be taken seriously during the consultation. Use of self-assessment scales such as MADRS-S could find its place, but needs to adjust to the multifaceted environment that primary care provides. Key Points Patients with depression in primary care perceive that the use of a self-assessment scale in the consultation purposefully can contribute in several ways. The scale contributes to Confirmation: MADRS-S shows that I have depression and how serious it is. Centeredness: The most important thing is for the GP to listen to and take me seriously. Clarification: MADRS-S helps me understand why I need treatment for depression.

Association between history of psychosis and cardiovascular disease in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether clinical features of bipolar disorder, such as history of psychosis, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors contribute to a higher risk of CVD among patients with bipolar disorder. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included a sample of 988 patients with bipolar I or bipolar II disorder or schizoaffective bipolar type confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR disorders (SCID). Medical comorbidity burden was quantified utilizing the Cumulative Illness Severity Rating Scale (CIRS). This 13-item organ-based scale includes cardiac disease severity quantification. Confirmed by medical record review, patients who scored 1 (current mild or past significant problem) or higher in the cardiac item were compared by logistic regression to patients who scored 0 (no impairment), adjusting for CVD risk factors that were selected using a backwards stepwise approach or were obtained from the literature. RESULTS: In a multivariate model, age [odds ratio (OR) = 3.03, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.66-5.54, p < 0.0001], hypertension (OR = 2.43, 95% CI: 1.69-3.55, p < 0.0001), and history of psychosis (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.03-2.13, p = 0.03) were associated with CVD. When CVD risk factors from the literature were added to the analysis, age (OR = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.67-6.10, p = 0.0005) and hypertension (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.61-3.76, p < 0.01) remained significant, with psychosis being at the trend level (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 0.96-2.13, p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: The phenotype of psychotic bipolar disorder may reflect higher illness severity with associated cardiac comorbidity. Further studies are encouraged to clarify the effect of the disease burden (i.e., depression), lifestyle, and treatment interventions (i.e., atypical antipsychotics) on this risk association.

District nurses' preventive home visits to 75-year-olds: an opportunity to identify factors related to unsafe medication management.

AIMS: To investigate factors related to unsafe medication management among 75-year-olds during preventive home visits, and to describe the interventions district nurses used. METHODS: An explorative study. During a 9- to 12-month period, 36 DNs used the Safe Medication Assessment (SMA) tool during preventive home visits to 75-year-olds who used at least one drug (n=113). RESULTS: One or more factors related to unsafe medication management were identified in 84% of the 75-year-olds. More than 40% used five or more drugs, and 34.5% reported symptoms potentially indicative of adverse effects of their drugs. Nearly 30% had prescribers from more than two medical units, and 7.1% of the older persons were appraised as having reduced cognitive ability. DNs intervened in more than two-thirds of the cases and used a variety of nursing care interventions to improve the safety of medication management. CONCLUSIONS: Preventive home visits seem to provide a unique opportunity to promote safe medication management. Several factors related to unsafe medication management were identified, and several different nursing care interventions were carried out to ensure safe medication management. Use of the SMA tool in preventive home visits seems to be advantageous in improving the safety of medication management among older persons.

Risk of severe mood and anxiety disorders in the adult children of parents with alcohol use disorder: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Growing up with parental alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. This study investigated the risk of mood disorders and of anxiety disorders in the adult children of parents with AUD, adjusted for sociodemographic factors. METHODS: Individual-level register data on the total population were linked to follow children of parents with AUD from 1973 to 2018 to assess their risk of mood disorders and of anxiety disorders. AUD, mood disorders and anxiety disorders were defined with International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems codes from the National Patient Register. HRs of outcomes were calculated with Cox regression. Model 1 was adjusted for the child's sex, parental education and death of a parent. Model 2 was adjusted for those factors and parental diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorder. RESULTS: Those with ≥1 parent with AUD (99 723 of 2 421 479 children) had a higher risk of mood disorder and of anxiety disorder than those whose parents did not have AUD (HR mood 2.32, 95% CI 2.26 to 2.39; HR anxiety 2.66, 95% CI 2.60 to 2.72). The risk remained elevated after adjustment for sociodemographic factors and parental psychiatric diagnosis (HR mood 1.67, 95% CI 1.63 to 1.72; HR anxiety 1.74, 95% CI 1.69 to 1.78). The highest risks were associated with AUD in both parents, followed by AUD in mothers and then in fathers. CONCLUSION: Adult children of parents with AUD have a raised risk of mood and anxiety disorders even after adjustment for sociodemographic factors and parental mood or anxiety disorder. These population-level findings can inform future policies and interventions.

Excess mortality among people in homelessness with substance use disorders: a Swedish cohort study.

BACKGROUND: People in homelessness have an increased risk of substance use disorders (SUDs) and poor health outcomes. This cohort study aimed to investigate the association between homelessness and mortality in people with SUDs, adjusting for age, sex, narcotic use, intravenous drug use and inpatient care for SUDs. METHODS: Data from the Swedish National Addiction Care Quality Register in the Stockholm region were used to analyse mortality risk in people with SUDs (n=8397), including 637 in homelessness, 1135 in precarious housing and 6625 in stable housing, at baseline. HRs and CIs were calculated using Cox regression. RESULTS: Mortality was increased for people in homelessness (HR 2.30; 95% CI 1.70 to 3.12) and precarious housing (HR 1.23; 95% CI 0.86 to 1.75) compared with those in stable housing. The association between homelessness and mortality decreased (HR 1.27; 95% CI 0.91 to 1.78) after adjusting for narcotic use (HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.63), intravenous drug use (HR 1.98; 95% CI 1.52 to 2.58) and inpatient care for SUDs (HR 1.96; 95% CI 1.57 to 2.45). Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) showed that mortality among people in homelessness with SUDs was 13.6 times higher than the general population (SMR=13.6; 95% CI 10.2 to 17.9), and 3.7 times higher in people in stable housing with SUDs (SMR=3.7; 95% CI 3.2 to 4.1). CONCLUSION: Homelessness increased mortality, but the risk decreased after adjusting for narcotic use, intravenous drug use and inpatient care for SUDs. Interventions are needed to reduce excess mortality among people in homelessness with SUDs.

Characteristics of Patients with Subjective Sleep Problems after Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: Secondary Analyses of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment for insomnia, but half of the patients do not reach remission. This study aimed to explore subjective remission by investigating the characteristics of patients who reported lingering sleep problems after CBT-I. Methods Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial of group CBT-I in 72 primary care patients with insomnia disorder. Sociodemographic characteristics and outcomes (insomnia severity, sleep variables, hypnotics use, fatigue, depressive symptoms, and dysfunctional beliefs/attitudes), including baseline data and symptom change, were investigated in relation to patients' posttreatment response to the yes-or-no question "Would you say that you have sleep problems?" Results A total of 56.9% of patients reported sleep problems after CBT-I. At baseline, they had worse depressive symptoms (14.9 (SD 7.5) vs. 10.2 (SD 5.9), p = 0.006) and more awakenings (2.6 (SD 1.5) vs. 1.8 (SD 1.3), p = 0.034) than those in subjective remission from sleep problems. Patients in the non-remission and remission groups showed similar improvements in sleep, fatigue, and depressive symptoms, but patients in the non-remission group had improved less in insomnia severity, dysfunctional beliefs/attitudes about sleep, and hypnotic use. In patients with more pronounced depressive symptoms before CBT-I, change in depressive symptoms during treatment partially explained subjective remission from sleep problems. Discussion More severe depressive symptoms prior to CBT-I and less improvements in depressive symptoms during treatment predicted remaining subjective sleep problems after treatment. These findings highlight the importance of assessing depressive symptoms in primary care patients with insomnia, as patients with pronounced depressive symptoms may need tailored treatment.

Intolerance-of-uncertainty therapy versus metacognitive therapy for generalized anxiety disorder in primary health care: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled pilot study investigated the feasibility of a future full-scale RCT to compare the effects of intolerance-of-uncertainty therapy (IUT) and metacognitive therapy (MCT) in primary health care patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Preliminary treatment effects were also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 64 patients with GAD at a large primary health care center in Stockholm, Sweden, were randomized to IUT or MCT. Feasibility outcomes included participant recruitment and retention, willingness to receive psychological treatment, and therapists' competence in and adherence to treatment protocols. Self-reported scales were used to assess treatment outcomes, including worry, depression, functional impairment, and quality of life. RESULTS: Recruitment was satisfactory, and dropout was low. On a scale from 0 to 6, participants were satisfied with participating in the study (M = 5.17, SD = 1.09). Following brief training, therapists' competence was rated as moderate, and adherence was rated as weak to moderate. From pre- to post-treatment, reductions on the primary treatment outcome measure of worry were of a large effect size and statistically significant in both the IUT and MCT conditions (Cohen's d for IUT = -2.69, 95% confidence interval [-3.63, -1.76] and d for MCT = -3.78 [-4.68, -2.90]). The between-group effect size from pre- to post-treatment was large and statistically significant (d = -2.03 [-3.31, -0.75]), in favor of the MCT condition. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to carry out a full-scale RCT to compare the effects of IUT to MCT for patients with GAD in primary health care. Both protocols seem effective, and MCT seems superior to IUT, but a full-scale RCT is needed to confirm these conclusions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (no. NCT03621371).

Successful deinstitutionalization of mental health care: increased life expectancy among people with mental disorders in Finland.

To assess impact of deinstitutionalization of mental health care, we studied life expectancy for 341 630 people with hospitalization or early retirement pension for mental disorders in 1981-2003 in Finland. Life expectancy at the age of 15 years was significantly shorter for men/women with serious mental disorder (59.0/70.8 years) than in the general population (75.3/82.1 years) in 2001-03. Life expectancy increased for people with schizophrenia and other psychoses, mood disorders and neurotic disorders, but decreased for people with substance use disorders. Deinstitutionalization and decentralization of mental health services did not affect life expectancy negatively. Policy measures to control adverse effects of alcohol and substance abuse have failed.

Outcomes of psychiatric interviews and self-rated symptom scales in people on sick leave for common mental disorders: an observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the correspondence between diagnoses on sick leave certificates and diagnoses made in structured psychiatric interviews. Secondary aims were to investigate length of sick leave by diagnoses on sick leave certificates, diagnoses made in structured interviews and symptom severity. DESIGN: Observational study consisting of a secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial and an observational study. SETTING: The regions of Stockholm and Västra Götaland, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: 480 people on sick leave for common mental disorders. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were examined with structured psychiatric interviews and self-rated symptom severity scales. OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Sick leave certificate diagnoses, (2) diagnoses from the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and the Self-rated Stress-Induced Exhaustion Disorder (SED) Instrument (s-ED), (3) symptom severity (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale-self-rating version and the Karolinska Exhaustion Disorder Scale) and (4) number of sick leave days. RESULTS: There was little correspondence between diagnoses on sick leave certificates and diagnoses made in structured psychiatric interviews. Many participants on sick leave for SED, anxiety disorder or depression fulfilled criteria for other mental disorders. Most on sick leave for SED (76%) and anxiety disorder (67%) had depression (p=0.041). Length of sick leave did not differ by certificate diagnoses. Participants with SED (s-ED) had longer sick leave than participants without SED (144 vs 84 days; 1.72 (1.37-2.16); p<0.001). More severe symptoms were associated with longer sick leave. CONCLUSION: Diagnoses on sick leave certificates did not reflect the complex and overlapping nature of the diagnoses found in the structured psychiatric interviews. This finding is relevant to the interpretation of information from health data registers, including studies and guidelines based on these data. A result of clinical interest was that more severe symptoms predicted long-term sick leave better than actual diagnoses.

Clinical effectiveness of care managers in collaborative primary health care for patients with depression: 12- and 24-month follow-up of a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In previous studies, we investigated the effects of a care manager intervention for patients with depression treated in primary health care. At 6 months, care management improved depressive symptoms, remission, return to work, and adherence to anti-depressive medication more than care as usual. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term effectiveness of care management and usual care for primary care patients with depression on depressive symptoms, remission, quality of life, self-efficacy, confidence in care, and quality of care 12 and 24 months after the start of the intervention. METHODS: Cluster randomized controlled trial that included 23 primary care centers (11 intervention, 12 control) in the regions of Västra Götaland and Dalarna, Sweden. Patients ≥18 years with newly diagnosed mild to moderate depression (n = 376: 192 intervention, 184 control) were included. Patients at intervention centers co-developed a structured depression care plan with a care manager. Via 6 to 8 telephone contacts over 12 weeks, the care manager followed up symptoms and treatment, encouraged behavioral activation, provided education, and communicated with the patient's general practitioner as needed. Patients at control centers received usual care. Adjusted mixed model repeated measure analysis was conducted on data gathered at 12 and 24 months on depressive symptoms and remission (MADRS-S); quality of life (EQ5D); and self-efficacy, confidence in care, and quality of care (study-specific questionnaire). RESULTS: The intervention group had less severe depressive symptoms than the control group at 12 (P = 0.02) but not 24 months (P = 0.83). They reported higher quality of life at 12 (P = 0.01) but not 24 months (P = 0.88). Differences in remission and self-efficacy were not significant, but patients in the intervention group were more confident that they could get information (53% vs 38%; P = 0.02) and professional emotional support (51% vs 40%; P = 0.05) from the primary care center. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with depression who had a care manager maintained their 6-month improvements in symptoms at the 12- and 24-month follow-ups. Without a care manager, recovery could take up to 24 months. Patients with care managers also had significantly more confidence in primary care and belief in future support than controls. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02378272. Submitted 2/2/2015. Posted 4/3/2015.

Outcomes of Nordic mental health systems: life expectancy of patients with mental disorders.

BACKGROUND: People with mental disorders evince excess mortality due to natural and unnatural deaths. The relative life expectancy of people with mental disorders is a proxy measure of effectiveness of social policy and health service provision. AIMS: To evaluate trends in health outcomes of people with serious mental disorders. METHOD: We examined nationwide 5-year consecutive cohorts of people admitted to hospital for mental disorders in Denmark, Finland and Sweden in 1987-2006. In each country the risk population was identified from hospital discharge registers and mortality data were retrieved from cause-of-death registers. The main outcome measure was life expectancy at age 15 years. RESULTS: People admitted to hospital for a mental disorder had a two- to threefold higher mortality than the general population in all three countries studied. This gap in life expectancy was more pronounced for men than for women. The gap decreased between 1987 and 2006 in these countries, especially for women. The notable exception was Swedish men with mental disorders. In spite of the positive general trend, men with mental disorders still live 20 years less, and women 15 years less, than the general population. CONCLUSIONS: During the era of deinstitutionalisation the life expectancy gap for people with mental disorders has somewhat diminished in the three Nordic countries. Our results support further development of the Nordic welfare state model, i.e. tax-funded community-based public services and social protection. Health promotion actions, improved access to healthcare and prevention of suicides and violence are needed to further reduce the life expectancy gap.