A minimal psychological intervention in chronically Ill elderly patients with depression: a randomized trial

F. Lamers, C.C.M. Jonkers, H. Bosma, G.I.J.M. Kempen, J.A.M.J. Meijer, B.W.J.H. Penninx, J.A. Knottnerus, J.T. van Eijk

    Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    Background: Among older persons with chronic somatic diseases, depression often remains unrecognized and untreated in primary care. The Depression in Elderly with Long-Term Afflictions (DELTA) study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led minimal psychological intervention (MPI) in chronically ill elderly persons with depression. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted, comparing the MPI with usual care in 361 primary care patients. Four nurses had an average of 4 sessions with the intervention patients, each lasting 1 h, over a maximum period of 3 months. Patients were aged 60 years and older, had a minor depression or mild-to-moderate major depression, and either had type II diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Results: Nine months after the intervention, patients receiving the MPI had significantly fewer depressive symptoms; the intervention patients were also more likely than usual-care controls to show a ≥50% reduction in depressive symptoms relative to baseline values. At 9 months, diabetic MPI patients had a better quality of life than diabetic controls. Conclusions: The nurse-led MPI appears to be a feasible and moderately effective method of managing minor-to-moderate depression in chronically ill elderly persons. However, we cannot rule out attention-placebo effects, and the disappointing finding of a recent economic evaluation showing only a 63% chance of the MPI being cost-effective. From a clinical point of view, however, it is of interest to further evaluate adaptations of the MPI, with a stronger emphasis on detection, watchful waiting and mental health problems in general. © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)217-226
    JournalPsychotherapy and Psychosomatics
    Volume79
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2010

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