How to reach people with chronic or recurrent depression? In a randomized trial, they benefited from a self-management support service that included regular outreach care management and a self-care group with a combined behavioral and recovery-oriented approach. Over 18 months, patients improved significantly in all four measured outcomes. Compared to patients in usual care, they had less severe symptoms and less likelihood of having major depression, higher recovery scores, and higher likelihood of being much improved. Psychiatric Services published "Organized Self-Management Support Services for Chronic Depressive Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial."
"What makes this program unique is that it combines a traditional mental health model aiming to reduce symptoms with a recovery model focused on achieving life goals despite symptoms," said study leader Evette J. Ludman, PhD, a senior research associate at Group Health Research Institute.
"When depression persists or recurs, people may start thinking that treatment will never help them to recover," Dr. Ludman added. "But this intervention really seems effective at improving their lives, and the differences between the groups were continuing to diverge at 18 months." You can read a blog that Dr. Ludman wrote about the Organized Self-Management Support Services for Chronic Depressive Symptoms (Stride) trial.
[For more go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/re.../08/150831163843.htm]
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