BACKGROUND: Anxiety and mood disorders involve a high disease burden and are associated with high economic costs. A stepped-care approach intervention and abbreviated diagnostic method are assumed to increase effectiveness and efficiency of the mental healthcare and are expected to reduce economic costs. METHODS: Presented are the rationale, design, and methods of a two-armed randomized controlled trial comparing 'treatment as usual' (TAU) with a brief intensified cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or pharmacotherapy. Eligible participants (N=500) of five Dutch outpatient Mental Healthcare Centers are randomly assigned to either TAU or to the experimental condition (brief CBT and/or pharmacotherapy). Data on patients' progress and clinical effectiveness of treatment are assessed at baseline, post-treatment (3 months after baseline), and at 6 and 12 months post-treatment by Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM). Cost analysis is performed on the obtained data. DISCUSSION: Since few studies have investigated both the clinical and cost effectiveness of a stepped-care approach intervention and a shortened diagnostic ROM method in both anxiety and/or mood disorders within secondary mental health care, the results of this study might contribute to the improvement of (cost)-effective treatment options and diagnostic methods for these disorders.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Anxiety and mood disorders involve a high disease burden and are associated with high economic costs. A stepped-care approach intervention and abbreviated diagnostic method are assumed to increase effectiveness and efficiency of the mental healthcare and are expected to reduce economic costs. METHODS: Presented are the rationale, design, and methods of a two-armed randomized controlled trial comparing 'treatment as usual' (TAU) with a brief intensified cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or pharmacotherapy. Eligible participants (N=500) of five Dutch outpatient Mental Healthcare Centers are randomly assigned to either TAU or to the experimental condition (brief CBT and/or pharmacotherapy). Data on patients' progress and clinical effectiveness of treatment are assessed at baseline, post-treatment (3 months after baseline), and at 6 and 12 months post-treatment by Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM). Cost analysis is performed on the obtained data. DISCUSSION: Since few studies have investigated both the clinical and cost effectiveness of a stepped-care approach intervention and a shortened diagnostic ROM method in both anxiety and/or mood disorders within secondary mental health care, the results of this study might contribute to the improvement of (cost)-effective treatment options and diagnostic methods for these disorders.
Authors: Denise Meuldijk; Erik J Giltay; Ingrid Ve Carlier; Irene M van Vliet; Albert M van Hemert; Frans G Zitman Journal: JMIR Ment Health Date: 2017-08-29