Efficacy of Telepsychiatry in the Treatment of Depression
- Conditions
- Depression
- Interventions
- Procedure: Telepsychiatry
- Registration Number
- NCT00012610
- Lead Sponsor
- US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Brief Summary
Telepsychiatry is a novel means of providing expert psychiatric treatment to patients who live far from a source of care. If it can be demonstrated that treatment via telepsychiatry is as effective as in-person treatment, then many individuals with psychiatric illness will have easy access to psychiatric care, even if they live in geographically remote areas.
- Detailed Description
Background:
Telepsychiatry is a novel means of providing expert psychiatric treatment to patients who live far from a source of care. If it can be demonstrated that treatment via telepsychiatry is as effective as in-person treatment, then many individuals with psychiatric illness will have easy access to psychiatric care, even if they live in geographically remote areas.
Objectives:
The major goal of this study was to determine whether treatment of depressive disorders via telepsychiatry is as effective as in-person treatment. In addition, this study was designed to determine if depressed patients are as compliant and as satisfied with telepsychiatry as with in-person treatment. Another goal was to compare the cost and cost-effectiveness of remote treatment via telepsychiatry to in-person treatment.
Methods:
In this randomized controlled trial, veterans who presented with depression to any of three VA Maryland Health Care facilities with a SCID-IV depression diagnosis and a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Ham-D) score of 16 or above were eligible for participation. Eligible veterans were randomized to either "in-person" treatment or "remote" treatment. Treatment occurred over six months and consisted of psychotropic medication and psycho-education concerning the disease, medications, and side effects. The major outcome variables included changes in Ham-D depression ratings and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) self-reported depression ratings.
Status:
Completed.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 119
Depression, Hamilton 16 or above, SCID-IV depression diagnosis
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Arm 1 Telepsychiatry -
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
🇺🇸Baltimore, Maryland, United States