Management of Depression in Chronic Care Patients Using a Task-Sharing Approach in a Real-World Primary Health Care Setting in South Africa: Outcomes of a Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT: Depressive symptoms are common in South African primary care patients with chronic medical conditions, but are usually unrecognised and untreated. This study evaluated an integrated, task-sharing collaborative approach to management of depression comorbid with chronic diseases in primary health care (PHC) patients in a real-world setting. Existing HIV clinic counsellors provided a manualised depression counselling intervention with stepped-up referral pathways to PHC doctors for initiation of anti-depressant medication and/ or referral to specialist mental health services. Using a comparative group cohort design, adult PHC patients in 10 PHC facilities were screened with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 with those scoring above the validated cut-off enrolled. PHC nurses independently ass

SUBMITTER: Kathree T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10447595 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature