Depression frequently causes unemployment , absenteeism , and presenteeism , which results in significantly reduced productivity .
Improving patients ' compliance with their antidepressant medication results in improved outcomes and prolongs remission from depression , increasing work productivity , and thus reducing overall costs .
The implementation of remote enhanced-care programs may improve compliance and reduce overall costs .
In conclusion , depression is a common disorder with a high economic impact .
Enhanced-care programs may lower costs associated with depression and improve patients ' lives
This systematic review examines the economic and human costs of depression and the potential savings associated with improvement in patient adherence to treatment with antidepressants through the use of enhanced-care programs .
Cost-effectiveness of treatments for major depression in primary care practice.
BACKGROUND This study augments a r and omized controlled trial to analyze the cost-effectiveness of 2 st and ardized treatments for major depression relative to each other and to the " usual care " provided by primary care physicians . METHODS A r and omized controlled trial was conducted in which primary care patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for current major depression were assigned to pharmacotherapy ( where nortriptyline hydrochloride was given ) or interpersonal psychotherapy provided in a st and ardized framework or a primary physician 's usual care . Two outcome measures , depression-free days and quality -adjusted days , were developed using information on depressive symptoms over time . The costs of care were calculated . Cost-effectiveness ratios comparing the incremental outcomes with the incremental costs for the different treatments were estimated . Sensitivity analyses were performed . RESULTS In terms of both economic costs and quality -of-life outcomes , patients assigned to the pharmacotherapy group did slightly better than those assigned to interpersonal psychotherapy . Both st and ardized therapies provided better outcomes than primary physician 's usual care , but each consumed more re sources . No meaningful cost-offsets were found . The incremental direct cost per additional depression-free day for pharmacotherapy relative to usual care ranges from $ 12.66 to $ 16.87 which translates to direct cost per quality -adjusted year gained from $ 11270 to $ 19510 . CONCLUSIONS St and ardized treatments for depression lead to better outcomes than usual care but also lead to higher costs . However , the estimates of the cost per quality -of-life year gained for st and ardized pharmacotherapy are comparable with those found for other treatments provided in routine practice
Depression frequently causes unemployment , absenteeism , and presenteeism , which results in significantly reduced productivity .
Improving patients ' compliance with their antidepressant medication results in improved outcomes and prolongs remission from depression , increasing work productivity , and thus reducing overall costs .
The implementation of remote enhanced-care programs may improve compliance and reduce overall costs .
In conclusion , depression is a common disorder with a high economic impact .
Enhanced-care programs may lower costs associated with depression and improve patients ' lives
This systematic review examines the economic and human costs of depression and the potential savings associated with improvement in patient adherence to treatment with antidepressants through the use of enhanced-care programs .