Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app
Depression is a debilitating disorder associated with poor health outcomes, including increased comorbidity and early mortality. Despite the advent of new digital health interventions, few have been tested among patients with more severe forms of depression. As such, in an intent-to-treat study we e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Internet Interventions |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782921000488 |
| _version_ | 1818597347950592000 |
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| author | Valerie L. Forman-Hoffman Benjamin W. Nelson Kristian Ranta Albert Nazander Outi Hilgert Joao de Quevedo |
| author_facet | Valerie L. Forman-Hoffman Benjamin W. Nelson Kristian Ranta Albert Nazander Outi Hilgert Joao de Quevedo |
| author_sort | Valerie L. Forman-Hoffman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Depression is a debilitating disorder associated with poor health outcomes, including increased comorbidity and early mortality. Despite the advent of new digital health interventions, few have been tested among patients with more severe forms of depression. As such, in an intent-to-treat study we examined whether 218 patients with at least moderately severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 15) experienced significant reductions in depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health (mHealth) program, Meru Health Program (MHP). Patients with moderately severe and severe depressive symptoms at pre-program assessment experienced significant decreases in depressive symptoms at end-of treatment (mean [standard deviation] PHQ-9 reduction = 8.30 [5.03], Hedges' g = 1.64, 95% CI [1.44, 1.85]). Also, 34% of patients with at least moderately severe depressive symptoms at baseline and 29.9% of patients with severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 20) at baseline responded to the intervention at end-of-treatment, defined as experiencing ≥50% reduction in PHQ-9 score and a post-program PHQ-9 score lower than 10. Limitations include use lack of a control group and no clinical diagnostic information. Future randomized trials are warranted to test the MHP as a scalable solution for patients with more severe depressive symptoms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:46:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dbc032733a7645a4a1ce263cca386ea9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-7829 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:46:22Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Internet Interventions |
| spelling | doaj.art-dbc032733a7645a4a1ce263cca386ea92022-12-21T22:32:49ZengElsevierInternet Interventions2214-78292021-09-0125100408Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone appValerie L. Forman-Hoffman0Benjamin W. Nelson1Kristian Ranta2Albert Nazander3Outi Hilgert4Joao de Quevedo5Meru Health Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA; Corresponding author.Meru Health Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Chapel Hill, NC, USAMeru Health Inc., San Mateo, CA, USAMeru Health Inc., San Mateo, CA, USAMeru Health Inc., San Mateo, CA, USATranslational Psychiatry Program, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA; Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA; Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, BrazilDepression is a debilitating disorder associated with poor health outcomes, including increased comorbidity and early mortality. Despite the advent of new digital health interventions, few have been tested among patients with more severe forms of depression. As such, in an intent-to-treat study we examined whether 218 patients with at least moderately severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 15) experienced significant reductions in depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health (mHealth) program, Meru Health Program (MHP). Patients with moderately severe and severe depressive symptoms at pre-program assessment experienced significant decreases in depressive symptoms at end-of treatment (mean [standard deviation] PHQ-9 reduction = 8.30 [5.03], Hedges' g = 1.64, 95% CI [1.44, 1.85]). Also, 34% of patients with at least moderately severe depressive symptoms at baseline and 29.9% of patients with severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 20) at baseline responded to the intervention at end-of-treatment, defined as experiencing ≥50% reduction in PHQ-9 score and a post-program PHQ-9 score lower than 10. Limitations include use lack of a control group and no clinical diagnostic information. Future randomized trials are warranted to test the MHP as a scalable solution for patients with more severe depressive symptoms.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782921000488DepressionMobile health interventionsDigital health interventionsSevere depression |
| spellingShingle | Valerie L. Forman-Hoffman Benjamin W. Nelson Kristian Ranta Albert Nazander Outi Hilgert Joao de Quevedo Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app Internet Interventions Depression Mobile health interventions Digital health interventions Severe depression |
| title | Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app |
| title_full | Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app |
| title_fullStr | Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app |
| title_full_unstemmed | Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app |
| title_short | Significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately-severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist-supported, evidence-based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app |
| title_sort | significant reduction in depressive symptoms among patients with moderately severe to severe depressive symptoms after participation in a therapist supported evidence based mobile health program delivered via a smartphone app |
| topic | Depression Mobile health interventions Digital health interventions Severe depression |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782921000488 |
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