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Enhanced Measurement-Based Care Effectiveness for Depression (EMBED) Study

Enhanced Measurement-Based Care Effectiveness for Depression (EMBED) Study:A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Enhanced Versus Standard Measurement-Based Care Implementation for Depression

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05527951
Acronym
EMBED
Enrollment
1200
Registered
2022-09-06
Start date
2022-09-03
Completion date
2022-12-31
Last updated
2022-09-21

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

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder

Keywords

measurement-based care, scales, assessment, depression, randomized, cluster trial, implementation, mobile health, WeChat, clinical trial, mixed methods, China

Brief summary

Measurement-based care (MBC) is an evidence-based practice that incorporates routine outcome assessment using validated rating scales to guide collaborative clinical decision-making. Although MBC results in improved outcomes for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), there are barriers to its broad implementation in clinical settings. The use of enhanced MBC (eMBC), with mobile apps that allow patients to track outcomes and engage in self-management via WeChat, may address some of these barriers. The investigators hypothesize that implementation with eMBC using WeChat will be superior to standard MBC implementation using paper-pencil assessments at the clinic, for both implementation and clinical outcomes.

Detailed description

The investigators present a trial protocol for a 2-arm cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a hybrid implementation-effectiveness design comparing standard MBC implementation versus eMBC implementation with 6-month follow up in 12 mental health centers in Shanghai, China. The eMBC implementation uses a WeChat mini-program that includes outcome tracking using brief questionnaires and self-management lessons supplemented with support by a lay coach via WeChat.

Interventions

OTHEReMBC

The experimental group will implement eMBC with our WeChat Easy to Recover from Depression Mini-Program, which consists of mood tracking and lay-coached self-management.

OTHERstandard MBC

The control intervention group will implement standard MBC using paper and pencil questionnaires.

Sponsors

University of British Columbia
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Toronto
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Melbourne
CollaboratorOTHER
Boston University
CollaboratorOTHER
University of California
CollaboratorOTHER
University of Alberta
CollaboratorOTHER
Shanghai CDC for Mental Health
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Institute of Population Research, Peking University
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
University of Michigan
CollaboratorOTHER
Queen's University
CollaboratorOTHER
Hongkou Mental Health Center
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
Shanghai Mental Health Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

The study protocol involves a 2-arm cluster RCT of enhanced versus standard measurement-based care implementation for depression.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Men or women aged 18-65 years; 2. Participants were diagnosed of unipolar depressive disorder by the treating physician based on accepted diagnostic criteria (e.g., CCMD-3, DSM-IV, DSM-5, ICD-10); 3. Participants are expected to have a smartphone device available and be proficient in using a smartphone; 4. Participants should have a junior high school education or above, have sufficient audio-visual skills, be able to fully understand the research content and have the legal ability to sign informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

1. Presence of obvious violent aggressive behavior or tendencies; 2. Participants who are unstable during onset episodes and cannot cooperate in completing the study content; 3. Serious suicidal tendencies; 4. Inability to carry out effective verbal communication; 5. No smartphone; 6. Other circumstances that prevented cooperation or completion of the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)up to 6 monthsTo evaluate the severity of depressive symptoms by patients. Remission: total score ≤ 4.
Proportion of patients with a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scoreup to 6 monthsProportion of patients with a PHQ-9 score entered in the clinical record.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The Sheehan disability scale (SDS)up to 6 monthsTo evaluate the functional impairment, including work/study, daily life and family responsibility. The score of each subscale ranged from 0 to 10 which means from no impairment to loss of function.
Quality of Life scale (QOL-6)up to 6 monthsTo evaluate the quality of life in patients with MDD. The higher the total score, the better the quality of life.
EuroQoL 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D)up to 6 monthsTo evaluate the quality of life in patients with MDD. The higher the total score, the better the quality of life.
Health economic assessment (HEA)up to 6 monthsTo evaluate the health services utilization. Economic outcomes will include health service utilization data (both mental health- and non-mental health-related) from the HEA and from available EMR/chart records, including health provider encounters, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, diagnostic tests, and prescriptions.
Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9) change scoresup to 6 monthsThe changes in PHQ-9 scores and depression categories were determined by subtracting the final PHQ-9 score from the initial PHQ-9 score. Therefore, a negative change in PHQ-9 represents a lessening of depression symptoms while a positive change in PHQ-9 represents an increase in depression symptoms.
Scale To Assess Therapeutic Relationships in Community Mental Health Care (STAR-P)up to 6 monthsTo assess the therapeutic relationship between patients and clinicians in community mental health care settings.It contains 12 items and each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with answers ranging from 0 to 4.
Proportion of patients who accessed the WeChat Easy to Recover from Depression Mini-Program at least onceup to 6 monthsProportion of patients who accessed the WeChat Easy to Recover from Depression Mini-Program at least once.
Proportion of patients who completed at least 4 of 6 lessons in Come Back mini-programup to 6 monthsProportion of patients who completed at least 4 of 6 lessons in the Come Back mini-program.Come Back mini-program is a part of the WeChat Easy to Recover from Depression Mini-Program,which consists of 6 weekly lessons based on cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) principles.
Evidence Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS)up to 6 monthsTo evaluate clinician satisfaction by qualitative interviews.Participants are asked to score 15 items with one of five responses that range from Not at All to To a Very Great Extent.
Patient Adherence Questionnaire(PAQ)up to 6 monthsTo evaluate the medication adherence.The PAQ is a two item measure, with the first question assessing level of adherence (quantified as number of days in the past week in which medication was not taken) and item 2 assesses reasons for non-adherence.
System Usability Scaleup to 6 monthsTo evaluate patient satisfaction by qualitative interviews.Participants are asked to score 10 items with one of five responses that range from Strongly Agree to Strongly disagree.

Countries

China

Contacts

Primary ContactJun Chen, M.D., Ph.D
doctorcj2010@gmail.com021-34773367
Backup ContactXing Wang
478030003@qq.com021-34773528

Outcome results

None listed

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