Increasing the efficiency of depression-screening using patient-targeted feedback: Randomized controlled trial

• Conditions: F32; I25; I10; Depressive episode; Chronic ischaemic heart disease; Essential (primary) hypertension

• Registration Number: DRKS00003277
• Lead Sponsor: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung Dienstsitz Berlin

Brief Summary

Background: International guidelines advocate depression screening in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and other chronic illnesses, but evidence is lacking. Aims: To test the differential efficacy of written patient-targeted feedback v. no written patient feedback after depression screening. Method: Patients with CHD or hypertension from three cardiology settings were randomised and screened for depression (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01879111). Compared with the control group, where only cardiologists received written feedback, in the intervention group both cardiologists and patients received written feedback regarding depression status. Depression severity was measured 1 month (primary outcome) and 6 months after screening. Results: The control group (n = 220) and the patient-feedback group (n = 155) did not differ in depression severity 1 month after screening. Six months after screening, the patient-feedback group showed significantly greater improvements in depression severity and was twice as likely to seek information about depression compared with the control group. Conclusions: Patient-targeted feedback in addition to screening has a significant but small effect on depression severity after 6 months and may encourage patients to take an active role in the self-management of depression.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2012-07-03
• Study Completion: 2014-05-01
• Results First Posted: 2017-02-01
• Last Update Posted: 19 August 2024

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Complete
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 4151

Inclusion Criteria

Attendance in a cardiac clinic;
Clinical diagnosis of coronary heart disease or hypertension;
Age = 18 years;
Sufficient language skills;
Informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

Life threatening health status;
Severe somatic or/and psychological disorder that needs urgent treatment;
Acute suicidal tendency;
Severe cognitive or/and visual difficulties;
Not being able to fill out questionnaires

Study & Design

• Study Type: observational
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
evel of depression one month after screening (PHQ-9)<br>

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
evel of depression six months after screening (PHQ-9); Proportion of patients treated for depression, direct and indirect health costs, quality-adjusted years of life and quality of life (EQ-5D) one month and six months after screening.<br>