CBT and Guided Self-Help is Effective in Reducing Depression in People with Physical Co-Morbidity (Diabetes or Cardiovascular Disease)

The effectiveness of an intervention to reduce depression in people with diabetes or cardiovascular disease was tested by means of a parallel cohort cluster trial.[1] The reported trial showed an improvement of 0.3 of a standard deviation in the depression score, as well as improved patient satisfaction. The CLAHRC WM Director always worries that consent to take part or propensity to drop out could interact with designation as intervention or control status when individuals are recruited to cluster studies, but the results of this study seem consistent with the bulk of literature on CBT. A similar study is underway under CLAHRC WM, but this time in patients with musculo-skeletal disease. It is being led by Clare Jinks at Keele University.

— Richard Lilford, CLAHRC WM Director

Reference:

1. Coventry P, Lovell K, Dickens C, et al. Integrated primary care for patients with mental and physical multimorbidity: cluster randomised controlled trial of collaborative care for patients with depression comorbid with diabetes or cardiovascular disease. BMJ. 2015; 350: h638.