@article{ref1,
title="Effect of a layperson-delivered telephone program for people with depressive symptoms",
journal="Psychiatric services",
year="2023",
author="Kahlon, Maninder K. and Aksan, Nazan and Aubrey, Rhonda",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether a layperson-delivered telephone program focusing on empathy could improve depressive symptoms among adults. <br><br>METHODS: Data for a subset of participants from a randomized controlled trial (July 6-September 24, 2020) were analyzed to assess the impact of a telephone program on mental health. Participants in this post hoc analysis had baseline depressive symptoms and were assessed for depression, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation. <br><br>RESULTS: Of the 240 people in the original sample, 58 had depressive symptoms (i.e., baseline scores of ≥10 on the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-8]); 56 of the 58 were reassessed 4 weeks later. Participants in the intervention arm had greater improvements in PHQ-8 scores (baseline mean±SD=13.0±2.6, postintervention mean=9.2±3.0; mean difference=3.8, 95% CI=2.9-4.7) than participants in the control arm (mean difference=1.3, 95% CI=0.1-2.5) (p=0.013). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This telephone intervention, delivered by a lay workforce, holds promise for reducing the burden on the clinical care system.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1075-2730",
doi="10.1176/appi.ps.20220440",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.20220440"
}