Medical care
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparability of interview- and self-administration of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) in English- and Spanish-speaking ambulatory cancer patients.
Flexibility is important in choosing methods and modes of questionnaire administration, to accommodate the needs of patients with diverse linguistic, cultural, educational, and functional skills. ⋯ Among both English- and Spanish-speaking ambulatory cancer patients, the FACT-G can be administered by either interview- or self-administration, without concern for significant mode effects on the data. Results may not be generalizable to patients with greater disease severity or those with low literacy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
How a therapy-based quality improvement intervention for depression affected life events and psychological well-being over time: a 9-year longitudinal analysis.
Short-term quality improvement (QI) interventions for depression can improve long-term mental health but mechanisms are unknown. We hypothesized that 1 pathway for such health benefits was an indirect effect with QI reducing risk factors for depression such as stressful life events. ⋯ Depression QI programs that include resources for psychotherapy can reduce occurrence of life events, further protecting subsequent mental health. Implications for the design of QI programs and development of prevention interventions are discussed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Modeling the impact of enhanced depression treatment on workplace functioning and costs: a cost-benefit approach.
The impact of depression on the workplace has been widely observed in studies examining absenteeism and reduced productivity during days at work. However, there is little scientific evidence about whether depression interventions are cost-beneficial to employers. ⋯ Many employers will receive a potentially significant ROI from depression treatment models that improve absenteeism and productivity at work.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
A randomized, controlled trial to improve advance care planning among patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Although many healthcare providers and researchers consider it necessary to assist patients with end-stage chronic illnesses to plan for the end of life, they tend to avoid discussing end-of-life issues with patients before major surgery. Consequently, surgical patients and their families generally have insufficient knowledge to make plans in case of life-threatening complications. ⋯ The PC-ACP can be an effective approach to advance care planning. Its specificity and relevance to patients' actual medical conditions (as exemplified by its plans for potential complications related to cardiac surgery) can lead to greater patient-surrogate congruence without increasing decisional conflict and anxiety.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Improving depression care for older, minority patients in primary care.
Few older minorities receive adequate treatment of depression in primary care. This study examines whether a collaborative care model for depression in primary care is as effective in older minorities as it is in nonminority elderly patients in improving depression treatment and outcomes. ⋯ Collaborative Care is significantly more effective than usual care for depressed older adults, regardless of their ethnicity. Intervention effects in ethnic minority participants were similar to those observed in whites.