Combined Interventions for Treating Depression and Chronic Back Pain

Integrated Care for Depression and Chronic Back Pain

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00158275

Enrollment

Registered

2005-09-12

Start date

2004-10-31

Completion date

2006-08-31

Last updated

2017-10-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Back Pain, Depression

Keywords

Cognitive behavioral therapy, Problem solving therapy, CBT

Brief summary

This study will determine the effectiveness of an intervention consisting of combined strategies in reducing the symptoms of both depression and chronic back pain.

Detailed description

The relationship between depression and back pain is complex. Depression is the most common mental condition associated with chronic back pain. Despite this relationship, many patients with depression and back pain seek treatment only for one of the two conditions, which can worsen the untreated condition. An intervention that reduces the symptoms of both depression and back pain is needed. This study will determine the effectiveness of an integrated intervention in reducing both back pain and depression symptoms. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either an integrated intervention or standard of care for 6 months. Participants in the integrated intervention group will receive cognitive behavioral therapy for back pain and antidepressants and/or problem solving therapy for depression. Study visits will initially occur once a week and then taper to once every 2 weeks for the 6-month duration; the time of tapering will depend on participant response to treatment and will be at the investigator's discretion. Depression and back pain symptoms will be assessed in all participants at study entry, at the end of treatment, and 6 months after the end of treatment. The study entry and study completion assessments will occur during study visits. The last assessment will be a telephone interview.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALCognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on identifying and eliminating maladaptive beliefs and thoughts.

DRUGAntidepressants

Antidepressant drugs try to eliminate symptoms of depression such as persistent sadness and disinterest in normal or pleasurable activities.

BEHAVIORALProblem solving therapy

Problem solving therapy identifies problems that interfere with everyday functions and that contribute to depression and disability. The treatment then provides compensatory strategies that are designed to bypass the person's cognitive limitations and to improve adaptive functioning in the home environment.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

25 Years to 74 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Roland back pain score of 7 or greater * Diagnosis of major depression * Plan to stay enrolled in Group Health Cooperative for the duration of the study and 1 year after the study

Exclusion criteria

* Prior surgery * Cauda equina syndrome (compression and paralysis of nerve roots) * Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder treatment within 2 years prior to study entry * Current or prior psychiatric or psychological care for back pain or depression * At high risk for suicide

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Depression patient health questionnaire	Measured at study entry, at the end of treatment, and 6 months after the end of treatment
Back pain limitations	Measured at study entry, at the end of treatment, and 6 months after the end of treatment
Roland disability score	Measured at study entry, at the end of treatment, and 6 months after the end of treatment

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026