Improving the Diagnosis and Management of Anxiety and Depression Disorders in the Working-Age Population: The Experience of the Aprand Program in France.
Introduction - In the early 2000s, an assessment of the detection and treatment of anxiety and depression in the adult population showed that at least 10% met the ICD-10 (10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases) for an anxiety or depressive disorder, but that only half were diagnosed as such and that one-third of them received appropriate treatment. The goal of the Aprand program (Action to Prevent Relapses of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders) was to explore the possibility of improving the management of these conditions through a screening and health promotion program in medical practice. Method—The MINI (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) was used in 2001 to screen for ICD-10 criteria for anxiety and depressive disorders among 9,743 EDF-GDF employees on sick leave, during a medical checkup conducted by 21 medical advisors from the special Social Security system. An observational, evaluative, “here-and-elsewhere” epidemiological study recorded the initial diagnoses of those who tested positive, followed by their medical outcomes one year later, in eight active centers (with preventive measures) and 13 control centers (without preventive measures). The intervention consisted of explaining the detected symptoms, providing the test results, handing out a pamphlet based on World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, and strongly encouraging individuals to consult their primary care physician, a psychiatrist, or the occupational physician if necessary. The comparison was performed using logistic regressions that accounted for sex, age, geographic region, the presence of comorbid conditions, and medical follow-up at the time of detection. Results—Participation in the intervention was associated with the resolution of depressive episodes (OR=1.93 [1.3–2.84]) and phobic or panic disorders (OR=1.98 [1.14–3.44]) at one year, after adjusting for all other factors. Age and sex were the only adjustment variables that also had an effect on the prognosis, holding all other variables constant. The intervention improved the a posteriori probability of recovery or remission by 10 to 15 percent, depending on age, for both first-episode depression and phobic or panic disorders. Physicians reported that the program had a highly educational side effect. Conclusion—It is possible to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of depressive episodes, phobic disorders, and panic disorders through a diagnostic and educational approach similar to Aprand’s in a non-specialized medical setting. (R.A.)
Author(s): Godard C, Chevalier A, Goulfier C
Publishing year: 2009
Pages: 275-9
Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2009, n° 25-26, p. 275-9
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