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Patients' beliefs about depression and how they relate to duration of antidepressant treatment. Use of a U.S. measure in a U.K. primary care population

Patients' beliefs about depression and how they relate to duration of antidepressant treatment. Use of a U.S. measure in a U.K. primary care population
Patients' beliefs about depression and how they relate to duration of antidepressant treatment. Use of a U.S. measure in a U.K. primary care population
Background: Patients have a wide range of explanations for their depression and it is not known how these beliefs influence subsequent behaviour and hence outcome.
Research question: What are patients' beliefs about depression and do they relate to duration of antidepressant treatment?
Design of study: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.
Setting: A general practice in the South of England.
Methods: All patients prescribed antidepressant medications over a 1-year period were asked to complete a validated questionnaire on beliefs about depression (PDIQ), a current depression and anxiety score (HADS), a measure of compliance with medication (MARS) and a demographic questionnaire. Results from the PDIQ were analysed by exploratory factor analysis. Multiple regressions were used to determine predictors of belief and whether belief predicted duration of medication.
Results: Two-hundred and eight patients (33%) consented to participate. Factor analysis produced a coherent underlying belief structure, similar to results obtained in the US and related to Leventhal's self-regulatory model of illness cognitions. Antidepressant medication was taken for longer by older participants and those with beliefs that antidepressants help, medical illness causes depression, and that depression is chronic. Antidepressant medication was taken for a shorter time by those who were in a stable relationship, or believed herbal remedies or 'clarifying priorities' would help depression. Beliefs accounted for up to 35% of the variability in duration of medication.
Conclusions: Beliefs do seem to be related to duration of treatment in this cross-sectional study. Longitudinal research is needed to establish cause and effect.
primary-care, depression, primary care, patients, population, treatment, care
207-217
Lynch, Jeannette
b5b05bcd-7370-4c5b-b1d4-1b4c74d47065
Kendrick, Tony
c697a72c-c698-469d-8ac2-f00df40583e5
Moore, Michael
1be81dad-7120-45f0-bbed-f3b0cc0cfe99
Johnston, Olwyn
cf28d016-bc32-4db0-9502-38b811ca29c6
Smith, Peter W.F.
78451869-7744-463a-a2ef-dafeb576556d
Lynch, Jeannette
b5b05bcd-7370-4c5b-b1d4-1b4c74d47065
Kendrick, Tony
c697a72c-c698-469d-8ac2-f00df40583e5
Moore, Michael
1be81dad-7120-45f0-bbed-f3b0cc0cfe99
Johnston, Olwyn
cf28d016-bc32-4db0-9502-38b811ca29c6
Smith, Peter W.F.
78451869-7744-463a-a2ef-dafeb576556d

Lynch, Jeannette, Kendrick, Tony, Moore, Michael, Johnston, Olwyn and Smith, Peter W.F. (2006) Patients' beliefs about depression and how they relate to duration of antidepressant treatment. Use of a U.S. measure in a U.K. primary care population. Primary Care Mental Health, 4 (3), 207-217.

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Patients have a wide range of explanations for their depression and it is not known how these beliefs influence subsequent behaviour and hence outcome.
Research question: What are patients' beliefs about depression and do they relate to duration of antidepressant treatment?
Design of study: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey.
Setting: A general practice in the South of England.
Methods: All patients prescribed antidepressant medications over a 1-year period were asked to complete a validated questionnaire on beliefs about depression (PDIQ), a current depression and anxiety score (HADS), a measure of compliance with medication (MARS) and a demographic questionnaire. Results from the PDIQ were analysed by exploratory factor analysis. Multiple regressions were used to determine predictors of belief and whether belief predicted duration of medication.
Results: Two-hundred and eight patients (33%) consented to participate. Factor analysis produced a coherent underlying belief structure, similar to results obtained in the US and related to Leventhal's self-regulatory model of illness cognitions. Antidepressant medication was taken for longer by older participants and those with beliefs that antidepressants help, medical illness causes depression, and that depression is chronic. Antidepressant medication was taken for a shorter time by those who were in a stable relationship, or believed herbal remedies or 'clarifying priorities' would help depression. Beliefs accounted for up to 35% of the variability in duration of medication.
Conclusions: Beliefs do seem to be related to duration of treatment in this cross-sectional study. Longitudinal research is needed to establish cause and effect.

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More information

Published date: September 2006
Keywords: primary-care, depression, primary care, patients, population, treatment, care

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 61972
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/61972
PURE UUID: d0077139-5f8a-4908-aed3-52070a67d1fb
ORCID for Tony Kendrick: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1618-9381
ORCID for Michael Moore: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5127-4509

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 09 Sep 2008
Last modified: 12 Dec 2021 03:29

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Contributors

Author: Jeannette Lynch
Author: Tony Kendrick ORCID iD
Author: Michael Moore ORCID iD
Author: Olwyn Johnston
Author: Peter W.F. Smith

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