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Depression News
Article Date: 15 Sep 2006 - 0:00am (PDT)
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WHAT: A new study shows that a team-based approach
to treating depression in primary care can
significantly reduce suicidal thoughts in older
adults. The results of the study will be presented
to the United States Senate Special Committee on
Aging September 14, 2006 as part of National Suicide
Prevention Week. In one of the largest depression
treatment studies ever, patients receiving IMPACT
depression care were half as likely as patients
receiving usual depression care to report suicidal
thoughts, even up to 12 months after they stopped
receiving IMPACT care. (IMPACT stands for Improving
Mood: Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment.)
The study results are published online in the
October issue of the Journal of the American
Geriatric Society.
WHEN/WHERE: David C. Steffens, M.D., M.H.S., Head of
the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at Duke
University Medical Center, and a co-author of the
study, testified before the Senate Special Committee
on Aging on September 14, 2006. He discussed better
depression treatment through the IMPACT program as
one solution to the alarming prevalence of suicide
in older adults.
WHY: Older adults, particularly white males, have
the highest rate of completed suicide in the nation.
White men 65 and older have a suicide rate six times
higher than the overall national rate. Depression
has been identified as one of the most important and
most treatable risk factors, but depression in older
adults, is often not detected or treated
successfully. Less than 10% of depressed older
adults see a mental health professional. Of those
who are diagnosed with depression, less than 50% of
patients follow through with referral to a mental
health professional, as older adults strongly prefer
to receive care from their primary care physician.
The IMPACT study confirms that primary care
physicians are well positioned to identify and treat
late life depression, but are most effective when
they provide this treatment as part of a team.
IMPACT helps improve the identification and
treatment of late-life depression in primary care
through a team approach in which a care manager
(usually a nurse, psychologist or social worker)
assists the primary care provider in providing
effective depression treatment in consultation with
a team psychiatrist. Results of the two year study
show that patients receiving IMPACT depression care
were half as likely as patients receiving usual
depression care to report suicidal thoughts, even up
to 12 months after they stopped receiving IMPACT
care. IMPACT has also been shown to:
* More than double the likelihood that a patient's
depression will significantly improve and will stay
improved, even 12 months after IMPACT care ends
* Improve physical functioning over time while it
declines in patients receiving usual care
* Reduce the experience of arthritis pain and
limitations on functioning caused by arthritis pain
* Improve patient quality of life and satisfaction
with medical care
* Work as well for ethnic minorities as for whites
* Be cost effective for all patients
* Reduce overall healthcare costs for patients with
both depression and diabetes
* Improve satisfaction of primary care providers
treating depression
* Be effective in diverse healthcare settings
including HMO, fee-for-service, Veteran's
Administration
###
The
IMPACT study was supported primarily by a grant
from the John. A. Hartford Foundation with
additional support from the California Healthcare
Foundation, the Hogg Foundation, and the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation. The John A. Hartford Foundation
(http://www.jhartfound.org) is dedicated to
improving health care for older Americans.
LOCAL ANGLES: Depression and suicide among older
adults affect thousands of families nationwide. The
IMPACT trial was conducted in 18 primary care
clinics affiliated with eight diverse healthcare
organizations in five states (Indiana, Texas, North
Carolina, California and Washington). A list of
local spokespersons, including patients, family
members, doctors and researchers, is available upon
request.
Contact:
Justin Reedy
jreedy@u.washington.edu
Clare Hagerty
University of Washington
Connie Hofmann
Strategic Communications & Planning
