National trends in the outpatient treatment of depression.
BACKGROUND
Recent advances in pharmacotherapy and changing health care environments have focused increased attention on trends in outpatient treatment of depression.


OBJECTIVE
To compare trends in outpatient treatment of depressive disorders in the United States in 1987 and 1997.


METHODS
Analysis of service utilization data from 2 nationally representative surveys of the US general population, the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (N = 34 459) and the 1997 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (N = 32 636).


METHODS
Respondents who reported making 1 or more outpatient visits for treatment of depression during that calendar year.


METHODS
Rate of treatment, psychotropic medication use, psychotherapy, number of outpatient treatment visits, type of health care professional, and source of payment.


RESULTS
The rate of outpatient treatment for depression increased from 0.73 per 100 persons in 1987 to 2.33 in 1997 (P<.001). The proportion of treated individuals who used antidepressant medications increased from 37.3% to 74.5% (P<.001), whereas the proportion who received psychotherapy declined (71.1% vs 60.2%, P =.006). The mean number of depression treatment visits per user declined from 12.6 to 8.7 per year (P =.05). An increasingly large proportion of patients were treated by physicians for their condition (68.9% vs 87.3%, P<.001), and treatment costs were more often covered by third-party payers (39.3% to 55.2%, P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Between 1987 and 1997, there was a marked increase in the proportion of the population who received outpatient treatment for depression. Treatment became characterized by greater involvement of physicians, greater use of psychotropic medications, and expanding availability of third-party payment, but fewer outpatient visits and less use of psychotherapy. These changes coincided with the advent of better-tolerated antidepressants, increased penetration of managed care, and the development of rapid and efficient procedures for diagnosing depression in clinical practice.
Olfson
Mark
M
Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr, New York, NY 10032, USA. olfsonm@child.cpmc.columbia.edu
Marcus
Steven C
SC
Druss
Benjamin
B
Elinson
Lynn
L
Tanielian
Terri
T
Pincus
Harold Alan
HA
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs