Depression Medication Choice Decision Aid

Summary

The quality of care for patients facing depression, one of the most prevalent chronic diseases, needs improvement. Despite its high incidence, depression remains sub-optimally managed, particularly in primary care, where most patients suffering from depression receive care. Successfully treated depressive patients can potentially improve their burden of disease and significantly improve their quality of life, but not without the best treatment adapted to their contexts, preferences, and expectations. Clinical research provides essential knowledge for the delivery of quality care which is unfortunately seldom applied in daily practice.

One of the preferred methods for overcoming this lack of quality of care is shared decision making: a collaborative process between a clinician and patient that relies on the consideration of scientific evidence, in addition to the values and preferences of the patient. The use of decision aids supports this process by presenting scientific information in an accessible manner while focusing on patient-centered discussion. We developed and rigorously evaluated, in the United States, a decision aid regarding pharmaceutical treatment options for depression, Depression Medication Choice, to be used by health professionals and patients during clinical encounters. The integration and impact of Depression Medication Choice, in primary care practices in a Canadian context is unknown.

The specific objectives of this study are threefold: (i) Evaluate the potential impact of the use of Depression Medication Choice by health professionals and patients during clinical encounters on measures of the quality of the decisional process and on health issues important to the patient and health professional; (ii) Document the processes and optimal measures to take to successfully realize projects on a larger scale; and (iii) Evaluate the feasibility of performing patient-centered studies in a realistic context, minimally disturbing to the study environment, in the primary care context in Quebec, Canada.

Once completed, the estimated potential impact of this decision aid and shared decision making in primary care in a Canadian context will have been measured, progressing toward high-quality patient-centered care. Moreover, it will be possible to optimally perform future studies in realistic contexts while minimizing the burden on the clinics, their health professionals, and their patients.

Conditions

• Depression

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Depression Medication Choice

The Depression Medication Choice tool is a series of cards emphasizing issues that are important for the patient and the health care professional when choosing antidepressants: weight change, sexual issues, sleep, cost, side effects, and stopping approach. The Depression Medication Choice tool uses clear language and is designed to improve the understanding of patients regarding the different attributes of antidepressants, and for use during clinical encounters.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Réseau-1 Québec

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• CERSSPL

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Laval University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Annie LeBlanc, PhD · Laval University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-07-22

Primary Completion

2020-02-28

Completion

2020-03-20

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations