Optimizing treatment for depression in primary care using psychotherapy versus antidepressant medication in a low-resource setting: protocol for the OptimizeD randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Psychotherapy and antidepressant medications are first-line treatments for depression, and they both have significant treatment effects on average. However, treatment response varies widely across patients, and neither approach is universally effective. Identifying the most effective treatment for each patient is critical everywhere, but particularly in low-resource settings where access to mental health care is limited. The Optimizing Depression (OptimizeD) trial aims to explore whether different patients respond differently to behavioral activation therapy versus antidepressant medication and if providing each patient with their optimal treatment improves outcomes in primary care.

Methods

We plan to randomize 1,500 patients with moderate to severe depression (de

SUBMITTER: Pozuelo JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12312373 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature