BMJ 2015;350:h174 doi: 10.1136/bmj.h174 (Published 14 January 2015)
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Research News
RESEARCH NEWS Psychological treatments are effective for depression in primary care, study shows Susan Mayor London
Psychological treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are moderately more effective than standard care without talking therapies for treating depression in primary care, shows a systematic review that also demonstrated that minimal contact approaches have similar efficacy to individualised therapies.1 Most patients with depression are managed in primary care, but most studies of treatment strategies have been carried out in more specialised care settings. To investigate the effects of psychological treatments in primary care, researchers analysed data from 30 randomised controlled trials including 5159 patients with depression who were being managed in general practice, and they compared treatment strategies that incorporated psychological therapies with those that did not.
Klaus Linde of the Institute of General Practice at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. But they considered that further evidence for non-pharmacological treatment of depression in primary care was needed to guide routine practice. They added, “Our analyses suggest that the differences between different treatments are minor and [that] remote therapist led, guided self help and minimal contact approaches can yield effects similar to personalised face to face therapies.”
Results showed greater benefit from face to face CBT than from standard care without talking therapies, with a standardised mean difference of –0.30 (95% confidence interval –0.48 to –0.13) on completion of treatment. Face to face problem solving therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and other psychological interventions also achieved better outcomes than usual care. Further results showed that psychological treatments not involving face to face interactions with patients also achieved greater benefit than standard care approaches. CBT with a remote therapist, generally on the telephone, achieved a standardised mean difference of –0.56 (–1.57 to 0.45) when compared with usual care.
“Our findings confirm that psychological treatments are effective in depressed primary care patients,” said the researchers, led by
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1
Linde K, Sigterman K, Kriston L, Rücker G, Jamil S, Meissner K, et al. Effectiveness of psychological treatments for depressive disorders in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Fam Med 2015;13:56-68.
Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h174 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
Page 1 of 1
Research News
RESEARCH NEWS Psychological treatments are effective for depression in primary care, study shows Susan Mayor London
Psychological treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are moderately more effective than standard care without talking therapies for treating depression in primary care, shows a systematic review that also demonstrated that minimal contact approaches have similar efficacy to individualised therapies.1 Most patients with depression are managed in primary care, but most studies of treatment strategies have been carried out in more specialised care settings. To investigate the effects of psychological treatments in primary care, researchers analysed data from 30 randomised controlled trials including 5159 patients with depression who were being managed in general practice, and they compared treatment strategies that incorporated psychological therapies with those that did not.
Klaus Linde of the Institute of General Practice at the Technical University of Munich, Germany. But they considered that further evidence for non-pharmacological treatment of depression in primary care was needed to guide routine practice. They added, “Our analyses suggest that the differences between different treatments are minor and [that] remote therapist led, guided self help and minimal contact approaches can yield effects similar to personalised face to face therapies.”
Results showed greater benefit from face to face CBT than from standard care without talking therapies, with a standardised mean difference of –0.30 (95% confidence interval –0.48 to –0.13) on completion of treatment. Face to face problem solving therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and other psychological interventions also achieved better outcomes than usual care. Further results showed that psychological treatments not involving face to face interactions with patients also achieved greater benefit than standard care approaches. CBT with a remote therapist, generally on the telephone, achieved a standardised mean difference of –0.56 (–1.57 to 0.45) when compared with usual care.
“Our findings confirm that psychological treatments are effective in depressed primary care patients,” said the researchers, led by
For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
1
Linde K, Sigterman K, Kriston L, Rücker G, Jamil S, Meissner K, et al. Effectiveness of psychological treatments for depressive disorders in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Fam Med 2015;13:56-68.
Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h174 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
