Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family psychoeducation is a relatively simple and straightforward intervention whose prophylactic effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is well-established for schizophrenia. We have recently demonstrated its effectiveness for unipola...

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Main Authors: Shimodera Shinji, Furukawa Toshi A, Mino Yoshio, Shimazu Kae, Nishida Atsushi, Inoue Shimpei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-05-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/12/40
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author Shimodera Shinji
Furukawa Toshi A
Mino Yoshio
Shimazu Kae
Nishida Atsushi
Inoue Shimpei
author_facet Shimodera Shinji
Furukawa Toshi A
Mino Yoshio
Shimazu Kae
Nishida Atsushi
Inoue Shimpei
author_sort Shimodera Shinji
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family psychoeducation is a relatively simple and straightforward intervention whose prophylactic effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is well-established for schizophrenia. We have recently demonstrated its effectiveness for unipolar depression<b>,</b> but its cost-effectiveness has never been examined. We hereby report a cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a randomized controlled trial in order to assess its cost-effectiveness for preventing relapse/recurrence in depression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with major depression and undergoing its maintenance treatment, and their primary family members were randomized to treatment as usual (TAU) only or to TAU plus family psychoeducation, which consisted of four 2-hour multiple-family sessions consisting of didactic lectures about depression (30 minutes) and group discussion and problem solving (60–90 minutes). The economic analyses were undertaken from the perspective of the National Health Insurance (NHI), assuming the most reasonable price of US$50 per psychoeducation session per patient. The main outcome measures included relapse-free days and direct costs to the NHI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intervention group enjoyed 272 (SD: 7.1) relapse-free days, while the control group spent 214 (SD: 90.8) relapse-free days (Cox proportional hazard ratio = 0.17, 95%CI: 0.04 to 0.75, p = 0.002). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves suggested that the family psychoeducation has 90% or more chances of being cost-effective if the decision-maker is prepared to pay US$20 for one additional relapse-free day. This cost-effectiveness finding was robust when the price for family psychoeducation ranged between 50% to 150% of the baseline scenario in sensitivity analyses. If a relapse-free day is considered to be worth $30 or more, all the pricing scenarios have a close to 100% probability of being cost-effective.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Family psychoeducation is effective in the relapse prevention of depression and is highly likely to be cost-effective if a relapse-free day is valued as US$20 or more.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>UMIN-CTR (UMIN000005555)</p>
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spelling doaj.art-cc217aab66ba403486815aff2977013a2022-12-21T20:00:45ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2012-05-011214010.1186/1471-244X-12-40Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trialShimodera ShinjiFurukawa Toshi AMino YoshioShimazu KaeNishida AtsushiInoue Shimpei<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family psychoeducation is a relatively simple and straightforward intervention whose prophylactic effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is well-established for schizophrenia. We have recently demonstrated its effectiveness for unipolar depression<b>,</b> but its cost-effectiveness has never been examined. We hereby report a cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a randomized controlled trial in order to assess its cost-effectiveness for preventing relapse/recurrence in depression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with major depression and undergoing its maintenance treatment, and their primary family members were randomized to treatment as usual (TAU) only or to TAU plus family psychoeducation, which consisted of four 2-hour multiple-family sessions consisting of didactic lectures about depression (30 minutes) and group discussion and problem solving (60–90 minutes). The economic analyses were undertaken from the perspective of the National Health Insurance (NHI), assuming the most reasonable price of US$50 per psychoeducation session per patient. The main outcome measures included relapse-free days and direct costs to the NHI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intervention group enjoyed 272 (SD: 7.1) relapse-free days, while the control group spent 214 (SD: 90.8) relapse-free days (Cox proportional hazard ratio = 0.17, 95%CI: 0.04 to 0.75, p = 0.002). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves suggested that the family psychoeducation has 90% or more chances of being cost-effective if the decision-maker is prepared to pay US$20 for one additional relapse-free day. This cost-effectiveness finding was robust when the price for family psychoeducation ranged between 50% to 150% of the baseline scenario in sensitivity analyses. If a relapse-free day is considered to be worth $30 or more, all the pricing scenarios have a close to 100% probability of being cost-effective.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Family psychoeducation is effective in the relapse prevention of depression and is highly likely to be cost-effective if a relapse-free day is valued as US$20 or more.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>UMIN-CTR (UMIN000005555)</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/12/40
spellingShingle Shimodera Shinji
Furukawa Toshi A
Mino Yoshio
Shimazu Kae
Nishida Atsushi
Inoue Shimpei
Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial
BMC Psychiatry
title Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial
title_full Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial
title_fullStr Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial
title_short Cost-effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial
title_sort cost effectiveness of family psychoeducation to prevent relapse in major depression results from a randomized controlled trial
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/12/40
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