Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government
Veterans Benefits and Health Care About VA Find a VA Location

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR&D Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

What do general medical guidelines say about depression care? Depression treatment recommendations in general medical practice guidelines

Kilbourne AM, Daugherty B, Pincus HA. What do general medical guidelines say about depression care? Depression treatment recommendations in general medical practice guidelines. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2007 Nov 1; 20(6):626-31.

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.    Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions


Abstract:

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Depression is one of the most costly and prevalent mental disorders, and it often co-occurs in patients with general medical conditions. This review identifies the extent to which depression treatment is being addressed in guidelines for general medical illness treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: We conducted a review of the literature published within the past year pertaining to depression treatment guidelines in medical care. We also conducted a systematic review of available practice guidelines listed by the Agency for Research and Quality to assess the extent to which depression treatment is being addressed in current general medical treatment guidelines. Overall, only a handful of articles addressed treatment of depression within the context of general medical care, and most only addressed screening. Among 199 available practice guidelines for general medical conditions, only 83 mentioned depression treatment, and the majority of these only addressed depression screening. SUMMARY: To improve outcomes in patients with co-occurring general medical conditions, general medical guidelines should include specific recommendations for treating and co-managing depression. Additional strategies that facilitate the translation of guidelines into routine practice, address the management of multiple chronic illnesses, and reduce the stigma of mental illness are also needed.




Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.