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Objectives: To determine if behavioral activation (BA) delivered by trained staff decreases prevalence of clinically significant symptoms of depression among older adults living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs).Methods: Clustered, randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial of BA for adults aged over 60 years living permanently in a RACF with symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9 ≥ 5). BA was delivered over 8-12 weeks using a structured workbook. The proportion of residents with PHQ-9 ≥ 10 at weeks 12, 26, and 52, as well as anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), physical (PCS), and mental (MCS) quality of life, loneliness, and loss to follow-up were main outcomes of interest RESULTS: We recruited 54 RACFs (26 intervention) and 188 of their residents (89 intervention). Participants were aged 61-100 years and 132 (70.2%) were women. PHQ-9 ≥ 10 interacted with BA at week 12 (OR = 0.34, 95%CI = 0.11-1.07), but differences between the groups were not statistically significant at any time-point. GAD-7 ≥ 10 interacted with BA at week 26 (OR = 0.12, 95%CI = 0.02-0.58), but not at any other time-point. Overall, the intervention had no effect on the scores of the PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCS, MCS, and loneliness scale. Loss to follow-up was similar between groups. Adherence to all stages of the intervention was poor (36.2%).Conclusions: Disruption by the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing issues in RACFs undermined recruitment and adherence. In such a context, a BA program delivered by RACF staff was not associated with better mental health outcomes for residents over 52 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subclinical depression is a risk factor for the development of major depression in older adults. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of pure self-help or self-help with minimal support to reduce depressive symptoms and to prevent the onset of major depression in this population.Methods: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials that used self-administrated cognitive, behavioural or cognitive-behavioural interventions for older adults with subclinical depression compared to control groups. Medline, Embase, PsycInfo and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant studies.Results: We analysed eight trials involving 1449 participants. A small but significant effect favouring the intervention was found at short-term [d = 0.33; 95% CI (Confidence Interval): 0.20-0.47] and at long-term (d = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.04-0.40) for depressive symptoms. None of the studies looked at the preventive effect of self-help interventions in reducing the probability of a subsequent diagnosis of major depression.Limitations: The low number of studies meant that it was not possible to test for publication bias. The absence of pre-published protocols for many of the studies meant that there is a possibility of selective reporting bias for some of the primary studies.Conclusions: There is some evidence that cognitive-behavioural self-help interventions may reduce depressive symptoms in older adults with subclinical depression. However, no study examined whether the intervention had a preventative effect in reducing the likelihood of a subsequent diagnosis of major depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment of established depression is the dominant approach to care of older adults, but prevention holds much promise. Self-help interventions are a feasible preventive approach, since they are scalable and low cost. There are few trials in this area. Behavioral Activation (BA) is a credible candidate psychological approach, which has been shown to work in therapist led care but not been trialled in a self-help form.Aim: To test the effectiveness of an unguided self-help intervention based on BA for older adults.Methods: We compared a self-help intervention based on BA for older people (n = 172) to usual care (n = 160) in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Outcomes were depression status and severity (PHQ9) and health related quality of life (SF12). The primary timepoint of the primary outcome was depression at 4 months, with longer term follow up at 12 months to test sustained impact of the primary outcome.Results: At 4 months adjusted PHQ-9 scores for BA self-help were 0.79 lower (95% CI: -1.70 to 0.13; p = 0.09) and the proportion of participants with case-level depression was significantly reduced (BA 31/137 (22.6%) versus usual care 41/141 (29.1%); Odds Ratio 0.48; 95% CI: 0.26-0.92; p = 0.03). There was no PHQ-9 difference at 12 months or for health related quality of life at any point (4 or 12 months).Discussion: Self-help using BA for older people at risk of depression is a feasible and scalable intervention with potential short-term benefits in preventing depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: People with mental disorders are more likely to smoke than the general population. The objective of this study is to develop a decision analytical model that estimates long-term cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions in this population.Methods: A series of Markov models were constructed to estimate average lifetime smoking-attributable inpatient cost and expected quality-adjusted life-years. The model parameters were estimated using a variety of data sources. The model incorporated uncertainty through probabilistic sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulations. It also generated tables presenting incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of the proposed interventions with varying incremental costs and incremental quit rates. We used data from 2 published trials to demonstrate the model's ability to make projections beyond the observational time frame.Results: The average smoker's smoking-attributable inpatient cost was 3 times higher and health utility was 5% lower than ex-smokers. The intervention in the trial with a statistically insignificant difference in quit rate (19% vs 25%; P=.2) showed a 45% to 49% chance of being cost-effective compared with the control at willingness-to-pay thresholds of £20 000 to £30 000/quality-adjusted life-years. The second trial had a significant outcome (quit rate 35.9% vs 15.6%; P<.001), and the corresponding probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 65%.Conclusions: This model provides a consistent platform for clinical trials to estimate the potential lifetime cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions for people with mental disorders and could help commissioners direct resources to the most cost-effective programs. However, direct comparisons of results between trials must be interpreted with caution owing to their different designs and settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green space may promote mental health in vulnerable groups but evidence is mixed. We explored prevalence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) and associations with green space in a deprived urban multi-ethnic population. We included 4737 women from the Born in Bradford cohort (64% South Asian origin, 49% most deprived population decile). Green space was measured using the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) around home addresses and availabiltiy of major green spaces within 300 m. CMD were identified from health records (diagnosis and prescriptions) and self-reported anxiety and depression symptoms. Area deprivation, ethnicity, education, physical activity, use, and satisfaction with green spaces were collected. Linear and logistic regression models explored the distribution of CMD and residential greenness for different socio-economic groups and associations between greenness metrics and CMD. Mediators (physical activity) and moderators (green space use and satisfaction) were explored. Thirty percent of participants showed at least one CMD indicator. White British and the least and most educated groups had higher CMD rates. South Asian and Black ethnic groups had less surrounding greenness and greater availability of major green spaces; however used them less frequently. No relationships between green space and CMD were apparent. For those unsatisfied with their local park, living within 300 m of a major green space increased risk of anxiety symptoms, but not other CMD indicators. Availability of quality green spaces alone may not be enough to confer health benefits for populations experiencing high rates of CMD and multiple environmental and social stressors. • Deprived areas showed lower NDVI scores but increased availability of green spaces. • Greenness was not associated to common mental disorders or medication prescriptions. • Physical activity neither mediated not moderated said association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pain presents a huge burden for individuals and society and evidence suggests intrinsic links with loneliness, social exclusion and sleep. Research examining how these factors interact is warranted. We aimed to explore the relationships between social exclusion, loneliness, acute and chronic pain, and the influence of poor sleep, in the general UK population. A cross-sectional analysis of UKBiobank participants with baseline data for acute and chronic pain, loneliness and sleep. Principal components analysis (PCA) used data relating to social isolation and deprivation to establish a composite measure of social exclusion. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed. 502,528 UKBiobank participants (mean age = 56.6years, 54.4%female, 94.6%white) were included in the analysis. PCA suggested three social exclusion factors "social participation", "individual deprivation" and "area deprivation". Loneliness significantly predicted acute (OR:1.887; 95%CI1.857–1.917) and chronic pain (OR:1.843; 95%CI1.816–1.870). Each social exclusion factor alone and in combination significantly predicted pain with largest effects for individuals scoring high on all social exclusion factors, for acute (OR:2.087; 95%CI2.026–2.150) and chronic (OR:2.314; 95%CI2.249–2.380) pain. Coefficients remained statistically significant when models were adjusted for demographics and sleep. Social exclusion (as a multifaceted construct) and loneliness are associated with an increased prevalence of acute and chronic pain. Poor sleep has a potential mediating effect on these associations. Exploration of the incidence of pain in loneliness and social exclusion in the general population is warranted. From a public health perspective these findings could be used to design social interventions to prevent or manage pain and mitigate social exclusion. • Chronic pain presents a huge burden for both individuals and society and is a major public health priority. • This study is the first to explore the links between social exclusion, loneliness and pain in the UKBiobank. • Findings show loneliness and social exclusion as a multifaceted construct are linked to an increased prevalence of pain. • These findings could help design novel pain management interventions or social interventions to mitigate social exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with severe mental ill health experience a mortality gap of 15–20 years and one of the main reasons for this is due to preventable physical health conditions. Physical activity can reduce the risk of developing physical health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease yet people with severe mental ill health are less physically active and more sedentary than the general population. A systematic review was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour in people with severe mental ill health. The protocol was published with PROSPERO (CRD42021277579). Randomised controlled trials conducted in any country in any setting and published in English with an aim of increasing physical activity or reducing sedentary behaviour were included. Eleven unique studies were identified for inclusion. Due to the variability between interventions, outcome measures, and time points, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis. Effect estimates suggested that three of the interventions were effective at increasing physical activity. However, the certainty of the evidence was rated as low using the GRADE approach. The evidence on interventions to increase activity shows promise but is insufficiently robust for an intervention to be recommended in clinical guidelines. More high-quality and statistically powered trials are needed to guide best practice and policy. • 11 studies to increase physical activity or reduce sedentary behaviour were reviewed. • The majority of studies aimed to increase physical activity. • The evidence interventions to increase physical activity show promise. • More high-quality and statistically powered trials are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a widely used screening tool for major depressive disorder (MDD), although there is debate surrounding its diagnostic properties. For the PHQ-9, we aimed to: 1. Establish the diagnostic performance at the standard cutoff point (10). 2. Compare the diagnostic performance at the standard cutoff point in different clinical settings. 3. Assess whether there is selective reporting of cutoff points other than 10. Methods We searched three databases — Embase, MEDLINE and PSYCHInfo — and performed a reverse citation search in Web of Science. We selected for inclusion studies of any design that assessed the PHQ-9 in adult populations against recognized gold-standard instruments for the diagnosis of either Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or International Classification of Diseases criteria for major depression. Included studies had to report sufficient information to calculate 2*2 contingency tables. Data extraction and synthesis were performed independently by two researchers. For the included studies, we calculated pooled sensitivity, pooled specificity, positive likelihood, negative likelihood ratio and diagnostic odds ratio for cutoff points 7 to 15. Results Thirty-six studies (21,292 patients) met inclusion criteria. Pooled sensitivity for cutoff point 10 was 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70–0.84], and pooled specificity was 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84–0.90). At this cutoff, the PHQ-9 is a better screener in primary care than secondary care settings. No conclusions could be drawn at cutoff points other than 10 due to selective reporting of data. Conclusions For MDD, the PHQ-9 has acceptable diagnostic properties at cutoff point 10 in different settings. We recommend that future studies report the full range of cutoff points to allow exploration of optimal cutoff points in different settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The depression module of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a widely used depression screening instrument in nonpsychiatric settings. The PHQ-9 can be scored using different methods, including an algorithm based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria and a cut-off based on summed-item scores. The algorithm was the originally proposed scoring method to screen for depression. We summarized the diagnostic test accuracy of the PHQ-9 using the algorithm scoring method across a range of validation studies and compared the diagnostic properties of the PHQ-9 using the algorithm and summed scoring method at the proposed cut-off point of 10. Methods We performed a systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies of the PHQ-9 using the algorithm scoring method to detect major depressive disorder (MDD). We used meta-analytic methods to calculate summary sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and diagnostic odds ratios for diagnosing MDD of the PHQ-9 using algorithm scoring method. In studies that reported both scoring methods (algorithm and summed-item scoring at proposed cut-off point of ≥ 10), we compared the diagnostic properties of the PHQ-9 using these methods. Results We found 27 validation studies that validated the algorithm scoring method of the PHQ-9 in various settings. There was substantial heterogeneity across studies, which makes the pooled results difficult to interpret. In general, sensitivity was low whereas specificity was good. Thirteen studies reported the diagnostic properties of the PHQ-9 for both scoring methods. Pooled sensitivity for algorithm scoring method was lower while specificities were good for both scoring methods. Heterogeneity was consistently high; therefore, caution should be used when interpreting these results. Interpretation This review shows that, if the algorithm scoring method is used, the PHQ-9 has a low sensitivity for detecting MDD. This could be due to the rating scale categories of the measure, higher specificity or other factors that warrant further research. The summed-item score method at proposed cut-off point of ≥ 10 has better diagnostic performance for screening purposes or where a high sensitivity is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: To examine whether cluster randomized trials (1) produce baseline imbalances between intervention and control conditions; (2) give results that are substantially different individually randomized trials; and (3) give different results when adjusted for unit of analysis error. Study Design and Setting: We used 14 cluster randomized trials and 20 individualized trials of the same intervention (collaborative care for depression). We conducted a random effects meta-analysis to examine imbalance in baseline depression scores. We used meta-regression to test for differential effect size and heterogeneity between clustered and individualized studies. Unit of analysis error was corrected using a range of plausible published intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results: There were no baseline imbalances in either cluster randomized (P =0.837) or individually randomized (P =0.737) studies. Cluster randomized studies gave almost identical estimates of effect size when compared to individually randomized studies (standardized mean difference, SMDcluster =0.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.17, 0.33; SMDindividual =0.24; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.36). Adjustment for clustering had minimal effect on clinical and statistical significance (pooled SMDICC 0.02 =0.249 [95% CI: 0.174, 0.325] to SMDICC 0.05 =0.258 [95% CI: 0.172, 0.345]). Conclusion: The additional effort and expense involved in cluster randomized trials needs to be justified when individualized studies might produce robust and believable results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Administration mode of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) may influence responses. We assessed if Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale – Depression subscale (HADS-D) item responses and scores were associated with administration mode. We compared (1) self-administration versus interview-administration; within self-administration (2) research or medical setting versus private; and (3) pen-and-paper versus electronic; and within interview-administration (4) in-person versus phone. We analysed individual participant data meta-analysis datasets with item-level data for the PHQ-9 (N = 34,529), EPDS (N = 16,813), and HADS-D (N = 16,768). We used multiple indicator multiple cause models to assess differential item functioning (DIF) by administration mode. We found statistically significant DIF for most items on all measures due to large samples, but influence on total scores was negligible. In 10 comparisons conducted across the PHQ-9, EPDS, and HADS-D, Pearson's correlations and intraclass correlation coefficients between latent depression symptom scores from models that did or did not account for DIF were between 0.995 and 1.000. Total PHQ-9, EPDS, and HADS-D scores did not differ materially across administration modes. Researcher and clinicians who evaluate depression symptoms with these questionnaires can select administration methods based on patient preferences, feasibility, or cost. • Administration mode may affect patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) responses. • No systematic reviews have evaluated this in mental health symptom PROMs. • We analysed PHQ-9 (N = 34,529), EDPS (N = 16,813), and HADS-D (N = 16,768) PROMs. • Total scores did not differ materially by administration mode. • Administration mode can be selected by patient preference, feasibility, or cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To examine whether randomized economic evaluations report clinical effectiveness estimates that are unrepresentative of the totality of the research literature. Study Design and Setting: From 36 studies (12,294 patients) of enhanced care for depression, we compared pooled clinical effect sizes in studies with a concurrent economic evaluation to those in studies that did not publish a concurrent economic evaluation, using metaregression. Results: The pooled clinical effect size of studies publishing an economic evaluation was almost twice as large as that of studies that did not publish an economic evaluation (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD] in randomized controlled trials [RCTs] with an economic evaluation=0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.23–0.46; pooled SMD in RCTs without an economic evaluation=0.17; 95% CI=0.10–0.25). This difference was statistically significant (SMD between group difference=−0.17; 95% CI: −0.31 to −0.02; P =0.02). Conclusion: Publication of an economic evaluation of enhanced care for depression was associated with a larger clinical effect size. Cost-effectiveness estimates should be interpreted with caution, and the representativeness of the clinical data on which they are based should always be considered. Further research is needed to explore this observed association and potential bias in other areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sudden gains have been linked to improved outcomes in cognitive behaviour therapy for depression. The relationship between sudden gains and outcome is less clear in other treatment modalities, including interpersonal psychotherapy and supportive expressive therapy, which may indicate different mechanisms of change between treatment modalities. The current study examined sudden gains in adults meeting diagnostic criteria for depression ( N = 40) offered up to 12 sessions of behavioural activation treatment. Sudden gains were found in 42.5% of the sample. Sudden gains occurred early (median pre-gain session 2) and were related to outcome: those who experienced a sudden gain had significantly lower post-treatment scores on the PHQ-9. Furthermore, the proportion meeting the reliable and clinically significant change criteria at end of treatment was higher in the sudden gain group. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the mechanisms by which sudden gains relate to therapy outcome in behavioural activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problems and often co-exist with substance use. Little evidence exists to support the use of brief screening tools for anxiety disorders in routine addictions treatment. This is the first study to test the validity and reliability of GAD-7 and GAD-2 in an outpatient drugs treatment population. Methods: A sample of 103 patients completed brief screening questionnaires and took part in structured diagnostic assessments using CIS-R. A subgroup of 60 patients completed retests after 4 weeks. The results of brief questionnaires were compared to those of gold-standard diagnostic interviews using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. Psychometric properties were also calculated to evaluate the validity and reliability of self-completed questionnaires. Results: A GAD-7 score ≥9 had a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 86% for any anxiety disorder, also displaying adequate temporal stability at repeated measurements (intra-class correlation=0.85) and high internal consistency (Cronbach''s alpha=0.91). A GAD-2 score ≥2 had 94% sensitivity and 53% specificity, with adequate internal consistency (0.82). Conclusions: GAD-7 adequately detected the presence of an anxiety disorder in drug and alcohol users; although this study was limited by sample size to determine its reliability for specific diagnoses. Results in this small sample suggest that GAD-7 may be a useful screening tool in addiction services, although replication in a larger sample is warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To examine the feasibility of telephone-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (T-CBT) in an occupational context, with reference to participant recruitment, treatment adherence, follow-up and effect. Method: Eligible participants comprised all employees of a large communications company with authorized work absence due to mild/moderate mental health difficulties over a 10-month period. Fifty-three consenting participants were centrally randomized to 12 weeks T-CBT or usual care, with minimization on age, gender and illness severity. Primary (symptom severity) and secondary outcomes (self-rated work performance and productivity) were measured at baseline and 3-months via postal questionnaires. Intention-to-treat analysis comprised multiple regression modeling with adjustment for missing response predictors, minimization variables and baseline values. Results: Twenty-three employees attended one or more T-CBT sessions. T-CBT was associated with medium–large effects sizes on clinical outcomes (0.63–0.77) and work productivity scores (0.75–0.88). Twenty-one patients failed to return 3-month primary outcome data. Non-respondents were more likely to be male and more severely ill. Conclusion: Delivery of T-CBT in an occupational context is feasible with evidence of potential effect. Larger-scale trials are warranted. These studies demand assertive outreach or telephone-based assessment strategies in order to maximize participant recruitment and follow-up. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Depressed patients reporting severely stressful life events had worse prognoses. • Reporting three or more events was associated with considerably worse outcomes. • This held in patients with long durations and those in a first depressive episode. • Effects were attenuated by variables that might have been affected by the events. • Clinicians should routinely ask patients about life events and assess their impact. To investigate associations between major life events and prognosis independent of treatment type: (1) after adjusting for clinical prognostic factors and socio-demographics; (2) amongst patients with depressive episodes at least six-months long; and (3) patients with a first life-time depressive episode. Six RCTs of adults seeking treatment for depression in primary care met eligibility criteria, individual patient data (IPD) were collated from all six (n = 2858). Participants were randomized to any treatment and completed the same baseline assessment of life events, demographics and clinical prognostic factors. Two-stage random effects meta-analyses were conducted. Reporting any major life events was associated with poorer prognosis regardless of treatment type. Controlling for baseline clinical factors, socio-demographics and social support resulted in minimal residual evidence of associations between life events and treatment prognosis. However, removing factors that might mediate the relationships between life events and outcomes reporting: arguments/disputes, problem debt, violent crime, losing one's job, and three or more life events were associated with considerably worse prognoses (percentage difference in 3–4 months depressive symptoms compared to no reported life events =30.3%(95%CI: 18.4–43.3)). Assessing for clinical prognostic factors, social support, and socio-demographics is likely to be more informative for prognosis than assessing self-reported recent major life events. However, clinicians might find it useful to ask about such events, and if they are still affecting the patient, consider interventions to tackle problems related to those events (e.g. employment support, mediation, or debt advice). Further investigations of the efficacy of such interventions will be important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback-informed treatment (FIT) involves using computerized routine outcome monitoring technology to alert therapists to cases that are not responding well to psychotherapy, prompting them to identify and resolve obstacles to improvement. In this study, we present the first health economic evaluation of FIT, compared to usual care, to enable decision makers to judge whether this approach represents a good investment for health systems. This randomised controlled trial included 2233 patients clustered within 77 therapists who were randomly assigned to a FIT group (n = 1176) or a usual care control group (n = 1057). Treatment response was monitored using patient-reported depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) measures. Therapists in the FIT group had access to a computerized algorithm that alerted them to cases that were "not on track", compared to normative clinical data. Health service costs included the cost of training therapists to use FIT and the cost of therapy sessions in each arm. The incremental cost-effectiveness of FIT was assessed relative to usual care, using multilevel modelling. FIT was associated with an increased probability of reliable symptomatic improvement by 8.09 percentage points (95% CI: 4.16%–12.03%) which was statistically significant. The incremental cost of FIT was £15.17 (95% CI: £6.95 to £37.29) per patient and was not statistically significant. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per additional case of reliable improvement was £187.4 (95% CI: £126.7 to £501.5); this confidence interval shows that the relative cost-effectiveness is between FIT being a dominant strategy (i.e. more effective and also cost-saving) to FIT being more effective at a modest incremental cost to the health system. The FIT strategy increases the probability of reliable improvement in routine clinical practice and may be associated with a small (but uncertain) incremental cost. FIT is likely to be a cost-effective strategy for mental health services. • The cost-effectiveness of feedback-informed treatment (FIT) for depression and anxiety was examined in a cluster randomised controlled trial. • FIT resulted in an 8% increase in cases with reliable symptomatic improvements after therapy. • This improvement was associated with a modest incremental cost of around £15.17 per patient. • FIT improves the cost-effectiveness of psychological care at a modest incremental cost to health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess whether CC is more effective at reducing suicidal ideation in people with depression compared with usual care, and whether study and patient factors moderate treatment effects. We searched Medline, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, CENTRAL from inception to March 2020 for Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) that compared the effectiveness of CC with usual care in depressed adults, and reported changes in suicidal ideation at 4 to 6 months post-randomisation. Mixed-effects models accounted for clustering of participants within trials and heterogeneity across trials. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42020201747. We extracted data from 28 RCTs (11,165 patients) of 83 eligible studies. We observed a small significant clinical improvement of CC on suicidal ideation, compared with usual care (SMD, −0.11 [95%CI, −0.15 to −0.08]; I2, 0·47% [95%CI 0.04% to 4.90%]). CC interventions with a recognised psychological treatment were associated with small reductions in suicidal ideation (SMD, −0.15 [95%CI -0.19 to −0.11]). CC was more effective for reducing suicidal ideation among patients aged over 65 years (SMD, − 0.18 [95%CI -0.25 to −0.11]). Primary care based CC with an embedded psychological intervention is the most effective CC framework for reducing suicidal ideation and older patients may benefit the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression causes significant physical and psychosocial morbidity. Predicting persistence of depressive symptoms could permit targeted prevention, and lessen the burden of depression. Machine learning is a rapidly expanding field, and such approaches offer powerful predictive abilities. We investigated the utility of a machine learning approach to predict the persistence of depressive symptoms in older adults.Method: Baseline demographic and psychometric data from 284 patients were used to predict the likelihood of older adults having persistent depressive symptoms after 12 months, using a machine learning approach ('extreme gradient boosting'). Predictive performance was compared to a conventional statistical approach (logistic regression). Data were drawn from the 'treatment-as-usual' arm of the CASPER (CollAborative care and active surveillance for Screen-Positive EldeRs with subthreshold depression) trial.Results: Predictive performance was superior using machine learning compared to logistic regression (mean AUC 0.72 vs. 0.67, p < 0.0001). Using machine learning, an average of 89% of those predicted to have PHQ-9 scores above threshold at 12 months actually did, compared to 78% using logistic regression. However, mean negative predictive values were somewhat lower for the machine learning approach (45% vs. 35%).Limitations: A relatively small sample size potentially limited the predictive power of the algorithm. In addition, PHQ-9 scores were used as an indicator of persistent depressive symptoms, and whilst well validated, a clinical interview would have been preferable.Conclusions: Overall, our findings support the potential application of machine learning in personalised mental healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study evaluated the impact of applying computerized outcome feedback (OF) technology in a stepped care psychological service offering low and high intensity therapies for depression and anxiety. Methods A group of therapists were trained to use OF based on routine outcome monitoring using depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) measures. Therapists regularly reviewed expected treatment response graphs with patients and discussed cases that were “not on track” in clinical supervision. Clinical outcomes data were collected for all patients treated by this group (N = 594), six months before (controls = 349) and six months after the OF training (OF cases = 245). Symptom reductions in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were compared between controls and OF cases using longitudinal multilevel modelling. Treatment duration and costs were compared using MANOVA. Qualitative interviews with therapists (N = 15) and patients (N = 6) were interpreted using thematic analysis. Results OF technology was generally acceptable and feasible to integrate in routine practice. No significant between-group differences were found in post-treatment PHQ-9 or GAD-7 measures. However, OF cases had significantly lower average duration and cost of treatment compared to controls. Conclusions After adopting OF into their practice, this group of therapists attained similar clinical outcomes but within a shorter space of time and at a reduced average cost per treatment episode. We conclude that OF can improve the efficiency of stepped care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Depression and anxiety disorders are relapse-prone conditions, even after successful treatment with pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is known to prevent relapse, but there is little evidence of the durability of remission after low intensity forms of CBT (LiCBT). Method This study aimed to examine relapse rates 12 months after completing routinely-delivered LiCBT. A cohort of 439 LiCBT completers with remission of symptoms provided monthly depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) measures during 12 months after treatment. Survival analysis was conducted to model time-to-relapse while controlling for patient characteristics. Results Overall, 53% of cases relapsed within 1 year. Of these relapse events, the majority (79%) occurred within the first 6 months post-treatment. Cases reporting residual depression symptoms (PHQ-9 = 5 to 9) at the end of treatment had significantly higher risk of relapse (hazard ratio = 1.90, p < 0.001). Conclusions The high rate of relapse after LiCBT highlights the need for relapse prevention, particularly for those with residual depression symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressed mood often co-exists with frequent drug and alcohol use. This trial examined the feasibility of screening, recruitment, randomization and engagement of drug and alcohol users in psychological interventions for depression symptoms. A total of 50 patients involved in community drugs and alcohol treatment (CDAT) were randomly allocated to behavioral activation delivered by psychological therapists ( n = 23) or to cognitive behavioral therapy based self-help introduced by CDAT workers ( n = 27). We examined recruitment and engagement rates, as well as changes in depression (PHQ-9) symptoms and changes in percent days abstinent (PDA within last month) at 24 weeks follow-up. The ratio of screened to recruited participants was 4 to 1, and the randomization schedule successfully generated 2 groups with comparable characteristics. Follow-up was possible with 78% of participants post-treatment. Overall engagement in psychological interventions was low; only 42% of randomized participants attended at least 1 therapy session. Patients offered therapy appointments co-located in CDAT clinics were more likely to engage with treatment (odds ratio = 7.14, p = .04) compared to those offered appointments in community psychological care clinics. Intention-to-treat analyses indicated no significant between-group differences at follow-up in mean PHQ-9 change scores ( p = .59) or in PDA ( p = .08). Overall, it was feasible to conduct a pragmatic trial within busy CDAT services, maximizing external validity of study results. Moderate and comparable improvements in depression symptoms over time were observed for participants in both treatment groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broad array of transdiagnostic psychological treatments for depressive and anxiety disorders have been evaluated, but existing reviews of this literature are restricted to face-to-face cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) protocols. The current meta-analysis focused on studies evaluating clinician-guided internet/computerised or face-to-face manualised transdiagnostic treatments, to examine their effects on anxiety, depression and quality of life (QOL). Results from 50 studies showed that transdiagnostic treatments are efficacious, with large overall mean uncontrolled effects (pre- to post-treatment) for anxiety and depression ( g s = .85 and .91 respectively), and medium for QOL ( g = .69). Uncontrolled effect sizes were stable at follow-up. Results from 24 RCTs that met inclusion criteria showed that transdiagnostic treatments outperformed control conditions on all outcome measures (controlled ESs: g s = .65, .80, and .46 for anxiety, depression and QOL respectively), with the smallest differences found compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) control conditions. RCT quality was generally poor, and heterogeneity was high. Examination of the high heterogeneity revealed that CBT protocols were more effective than mindfulness/acceptance protocols for anxiety (uncontrolled ESs: g s = .88 and .61 respectively), but not depression. Treatment delivery format influenced outcomes for anxiety (uncontrolled ESs: group: g = .70, individual: g = .97, computer/internet: g = .96) and depression (uncontrolled ESs: group: g = .89, individual: g = .86, computer/internet: g = .96). Preliminary evidence from 4 comparisons with disorder-specific treatments suggests that transdiagnostic treatments are as effective for reducing anxiety, and may be superior for reducing depression. These findings show that transdiagnostic psychological treatments are efficacious, but higher quality research studies are needed to explore the sources of heterogeneity amongst treatment effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: Clinical practice guidelines disagree on whether health care professionals should screen women for depression during pregnancy or postpartum. The objective of this systematic review was to determine whether depression screening improves depression outcomes among women during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Methods: Searches included the CINAHL, EMBASE, ISI, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases through April 1, 2013; manual journal searches; reference list reviews; citation tracking of included articles; and trial registry reviews. RCTs in any language that compared depression outcomes between women during pregnancy or postpartum randomized to undergo depression screening versus women not screened were eligible. Results: There were 9,242 unique titles/abstracts and 15 full-text articles reviewed. Only 1 RCT of screening postpartum was included, but none during pregnancy. The eligible postpartum study evaluated screening in mothers in Hong Kong with 2-month-old babies (N=462) and reported a standardized mean difference for symptoms of depression at 6months postpartum of 0.34 (95% confidence interval=0.15 to 0.52, P<0.001). Standardized mean difference per 44 additional women treated in the intervention trial arm compared to the non-screening arm was approximately 1.8. Risk of bias was high, however, because the status of outcome measures was changed post-hoc and because the reported effect size per woman treated was 6–7 times the effect sizes reported in comparable depression care interventions. Conclusion: There is currently no evidence from any well-designed and conducted RCT that screening for depression would benefit women in pregnancy or postpartum. Existing guidelines that recommend depression screening during pregnancy or postpartum should be re-considered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: The objective was to investigate patients'' views on the application of case finding and screening methods for common mental disorders in an addiction treatment service. Method: Qualitative thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of 19 participants. Participants took part in diagnostic assessments (Revised Clinical Interview Schedule, CIS-R) and completed brief screening questionnaires for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, GAD-7). Results: Patients generally favored the use of screening questionnaires to detect psychological problems, to monitor changes in symptoms and to facilitate targeted and specialist treatment. On the whole, respondents seemed to find such methods familiar and easy to use. The need for staff support was strongly emphasized, both to deal with the emotional impact of screening and to overcome accessibility and literacy problems. Good therapeutic rapport with practitioners came across as an important factor that influences patients'' willingness to discuss psychological problems. Patient readiness and the timeliness of assessments were additional factors influencing acceptability. Participants discussed how psychological problems and substance misuse are associated in complex ways, often resulting in discrimination, poor recognition of such problems and limited access to treatment. Conclusions: Mental health screening is generally acceptable to patients and can help to identify comorbid mental disorders in order to provide appropriate support and treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To quantify the accuracy of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) as a case-finding instrument for anxiety and depressive disorders. Method: MEDLINE, PSYCHINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, BNI, and AMED were searched from January 1983 to June 2006. Studies were included that administered the HADS, used a standardized psychiatric interview to establish a diagnosis of anxiety or depression, and provided sufficient data on sensitivity and specificity (N=41). Summary sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratios were calculated for each study. Random effects meta-analytic pooling across studies at the recommended clinical (7/8) and research (10/11) cutoff points was undertaken and summary receiver operating characteristic curves constructed. Results: For major depressive disorders, a cut point of ≥8 gave a sensitivity of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.73–0.89) and a specificity of 0.74 (95% CI, 0.60–0.84) and a cut point ≥11 gave a sensitivity of 0.56 (95% CI, 0.40–0.71) and a specificity of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.79–0.97). Conclusions: Many studies have shown that the HADS is a useful screening tool to identify emotional distress in nonpsychiatric patients. However, it does not appear to be superior to other screening instruments in terms of identifying specific mental disorders in physical health settings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to explore the views of stakeholders including patients, general practitioners (GPs) and mental health workers on the feasibility, acceptability and barriers to a collaborative care model for treatment of depression within the context of U.K. primary health care. Method: We used semistructured interviews and focus groups with a purposive sample of 11 patients and 38 professionals from a wide selection of primary and secondary care mental health services, as well as framework analysis using a “constant comparative” approach to identify key concepts and themes. Results: Regular contact for patients with depression is acceptable and valued by both patients and professionals. However, patients value support, whereas professionals focus on information. To be acceptable to patients, contacts about medication or psychosocial support must minimize the potential for patient disempowerment. The use of the telephone is convenient and lends anonymity, but established mental health workers think it will impair their judgments. While patients merely identified the need for skilled case managers, GPs preferred established professionals; however, these workers did not see themselves in this role. All involved were cautious about deploying new workers. Additional barriers included practical and organizational issues. Conclusions: Although a telephone-delivered mix of medication support and low-intensity psychological intervention is generally acceptable, significant issues to be addressed include the values of the current mental health workforce, fears about new workers'' experience and competence, the balance of face-to-face and telephone contacts and case manager education in nonspecific skills necessary to develop a therapeutic alliance, as well as the knowledge and skills required for education, medication support and behavioral activation. Qualitative research can add value to careful modeling of collaborative care prior to international implementation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Collaborative care in primary care has been shown to be effective for subthreshold depression in older adults in the 'CASPER' trial. However, to understand the impact of adherence, and to explore the minimum effective dose of collaborative care, we reanalysed the trial data using a complier average causal effect (CACE) analysis. Data were available for 705 participants, 519 with 12-month PHQ-9 scores. 'Compliance' could be observed for participants in the intervention group. Latent complier status in the control group was estimated. Completion of five or more sessions of care was defined as 'compliance'. Sensitivity analyses, using alternative cut-offs of two to eight sessions, assessed the impact of changing the definition of 'compliance'. Compliers in the intervention group had lower PHQ-9 scores at 12-month follow up than assumed compliers in the control group (1.75 lower, 95% confidence interval 0.29 to 3.21, p = 0.02), a greater effect than originally reported. Sensitivity analyses confirmed statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups in those attending five or more sessions. We conclude that collaborative care is causally effective in reducing subthreshold depressive symptoms in older people who adhere to treatment. Our findings suggest the minimum effective dose is five sessions. • We estimate the causal effect of collaborative care on depression in older people. • The effect size was a reduction in PHQ-9 points of 1.75 points. • The 'minimally effective dose' of the intervention was five sessions. • Further sessions added little additional symptomatic benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Smoking is more prevalent among people with severe mental illness (SMI) than the general population. E-cigarettes could provide an effective means of helping people to quit smoking. The aim of this paper is to explore the use of e-cigarettes and factors related to their use in people smokers with SMI.Methods: This is a cross sectional study including adult smokers with a documented diagnosis of SMI (ICD-10) recruited to the SCIMITAR + trial (2015-2016) from primary and secondary care. At baseline, participants were asked for demographic information and about their use of e-cigarettes. Data was were analysed to explore factors associated with e-cigarette use. After testing bivariate associations, logistic regressions were conducted.Results: Among 526 participants, 58.7% were male, mean age 46 years (SD 12.1), the majority (70.3%) had tried an e-cigarette. Among those who had ever tried an e-cigarette, over half (54.6%) reported the reason was to quit smoking, while 13.9% reported that the reason was to reduce smoking. Having an educational qualification of GCSE or higher (odds ratio 2.17, 95% CI 1.22 to 3.86, p = 0.008) and having made a quit attempt in the past six months (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.63, p = 0.032) was associated with ever having tried an e-cigarette.Conclusions: Ever use of an e-cigarette was associated with education levels and recent quit attempts. Future trials could explore the effectiveness of e-cigarettes as a cessation aid in this participant group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Two previous individual participant data meta-analyses (IPDMAs) found that different diagnostic interviews classify different proportions of people as having major depression overall or by symptom levels. We compared the odds of major depression classification across diagnostic interviews among studies that administered the Depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D).Methods: Data accrued for an IPDMA on HADS-D diagnostic accuracy were analysed. We fit binomial generalized linear mixed models to compare odds of major depression classification for the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID), Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI), and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), controlling for HADS-D scores and participant characteristics with and without an interaction term between interview and HADS-D scores.Results: There were 15,856 participants (1942 [12%] with major depression) from 73 studies, including 15,335 (97%) non-psychiatric medical patients, 164 (1%) partners of medical patients, and 357 (2%) healthy adults. The MINI (27 studies, 7345 participants, 1066 major depression cases) classified participants as having major depression more often than the CIDI (10 studies, 3023 participants, 269 cases) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.70 (0.84, 3.43)) and the semi-structured SCID (36 studies, 5488 participants, 607 cases) (aOR = 1.52 (1.01, 2.30)). The odds ratio for major depression classification with the CIDI was less likely to increase as HADS-D scores increased than for the SCID (interaction aOR = 0.92 (0.88, 0.96)).Conclusion: Compared to the SCID, the MINI may diagnose more participants as having major depression, and the CIDI may be less responsive to symptom severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]