None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Heart disease is Australia's biggest health problem, affecting nearly 3.7 million people every year. Recent research has shown that emotional problems such as depression can make heart problems worse. However, it is often difficult to diagnose depression in people with heart problems. This research aims to improve the general health and wellbeing of people with chronic heart problems and depression by determining whether a special general practitioner enhanced education program, comprising the monitoring of depression, academic detailing of best-practice guidelines and psychiatric advice to the treating GP, will reduce depression in people with chronic heart probalems.
Interventions
A comprehensive three-part program of: 1)screening for depression in primary care patients requiring ongoing management of chronic manifestations of ischaemic heart disease; 2) academic detailing of best-practice guidelines for managing depression; and 3) patient-specific psychiatric advice to the treating GP with follow-up screening and advice, relative to usual GP management.
Duration of study: 12 months.
Depression will be determined via the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (
A comprehensive three-part program of: 1)screening for depression in primary care patients requiring ongoing management of chronic manifestations of ischaemic heart disease; 2) academic detailing of best-practice guidelines for managing depression; and 3) patient-specific psychiatric advice to the treating GP with follow-up screening and advice, relative to usual GP management. Duration of study: 12 months. Depression will be determined via the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Arroll (2 question) scale. All study patients will be screened at baseline and 12 months. Patients in the intervention group, and depressed, will be rescreened at 3, 6 and 9 months as required.
Sponsors
NHMRC
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Diagnosis
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
(GPs):All South Australian urban and urban fringe general practices,computerised, minimum of three full-time equivalent GPs, general practice nurse, offering physical space for screening.Inclusion criteria (patients):a diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease in the preceeding 6 months and requiring ongoing management for manifestations of ischaemic heart disease, particularly angina pectoris and/or heart failure, must attend the practice, speak and understand english, have intact cognitive function and be willing to provide informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
(Patients):a psychotic illness or communication deficit precluding communication with the GP, planned correction of underlying cardiovascular disease state (eg coronary artery bypass grafting or heart transplant) or acute hospital admission for any cardiovacular reason in past 3 months.
Outcome results
None listed