Multifaceted Depression and Cardiovascular Program

The pilot open trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a health services quality improvement intervention, Multifaceted Depression and Cardiovascular Program (MDCP), on reduction of major depressive disorder, adherence to recommended cardiac exercise and diet self-care regimens and appointment keeping, blood pressure and low density lipid levels, functional status, quality of life and use of health services among low-income, predominantly Hispanic adults with congestive heart failure (CHF) or other cardiac disease such as coronary artery disease (CAD) in public sector community-based primary care clinics. The study was based on key observations from recent studies: 1) Patients with cardiac conditions are more likely to experience clinically significant depressive symptoms than the general population, with depression being associated with poor cardiac outcomes; 2) depression rates are high among Hispanics with chronic illness; 3) Minority patients are less likely to receive care for depression, but benefit with culturally appropriate care enhancements; and 4) depression co-morbid with cardiac conditions is likely to be persistent. Low-income patient needs, depression illness characteristics, and public care system resources call for a multifaceted, collaborative chronic disease management model of depression care. MDCP is aimed at positively affecting depression and cardiac outcomes by reducing known patient, provider, and system barriers to care. Participation in this study will last 12 months. All participants will first undergo baseline assessments that will include a 40-minute interview about personal health and feelings. All study participants will receive collaborative depression care management. They will first be provided with information about depression treatment. Participants will then have the option of choosing between two depression treatments: counseling or antidepressant medications. Participants who choose to receive treatment with counseling will receive eight weekly 45-minute counseling sessions, conducted either on the phone or at the clinic. During these sessions, participants will undergo structured problem solving therapy (PST) and will learn strategies to manage their depressive symptoms. Participants who choose to receive treatment with antidepressant medication will be prescribed medication by a study doctor and will be monitored for any side effects throughout treatment. Medication treatment may last up to 12 months but will depend upon participants' severity of depression. After completing medication treatment, participants will be offered PST counseling. All study participants will also receive supportive patient navigation services and maintenance/relapse telephone monitoring. All participants will undergo follow-up phone interviews about their status at months 6 and 12.