title: Clinical and cost-effectiveness of computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for depression in primary care: design of a randomised trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major depression is a common mental health problem in the general population, associated with a substantial impact on quality of life and societal costs. However, many depressed patients in primary care do not receive the care they need. Reason for this is that pharmacotherapy is only effective in severely depressed patients and psychological treatments in primary care are scarce and costly. A more feasible treatment in primary care might be computerised cognitive behavioural therapy. This can be a self-help computer program based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy. Although previous studies suggest that computerised cognitive behavioural therapy is effective, more research is necessary. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the (cost-) effectiveness of online computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for depression in primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomised trial we will compare (a) computerised cognitive behavioural therapy with (b) treatment as usual by a GP, and (c) computerised cognitive behavioural therapy in combination with usual GP care. Three hundred mild to moderately depressed patients (aged 18-65) will be recruited in the general population by means of a large-scale Internet-based screening (N = 200,000). Patients will be randomly allocated to one of the three treatment groups. Primary outcome measure of the clinical evaluation is the severity of depression. Other outcomes include psychological distress, social functioning, and dysfunctional beliefs. The economic evaluation will be performed from a societal perspective, in which all costs will be related to clinical effectiveness and health-related quality of life. All outcome assessments will take place on the Internet at baseline, two, three, six, nine, and twelve months. Costs are measured on a monthly basis. A time horizon of one year will be used without long-term extrapolation of either costs or quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although computerised cognitive behavioural therapy is a promising treatment for depression in primary care, more research is needed. The effectiveness of online computerised cognitive behavioural therapy without support remains to be evaluated as well as the effects of computerised cognitive behavioural therapy in combination with usual GP care. Economic evaluation is also needed. Methodological strengths and weaknesses are discussed.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The study has been registered at the Netherlands Trial Register, part of the Dutch Cochrane Centre (ISRCTN47481236).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. E.deGraaf@dmkep.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: L Esther
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: Sylvia A H
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gerhards
authors.forename: Silvia Maa
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Evers
authors.forename: Arnoud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arntz
authors.forename: Heleen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riper
authors.forename: Johan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Severens
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Widdershoven
authors.forename: Job F M
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Metsemakers
authors.forename: Marcus J H
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Huibers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012107:Research Design; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000191:economics