Shared decision-making in the primary care treatment of late-life major depression: a needed new intervention?
OBJECTIVE
We suggest that clinicians consider models of shared decision-making (SDM) for their potential ability to improve the treatment of major depression in the primary care setting and overcome limitations of collaborative care and other interventions.


METHODS
We explore the characteristics and techniques of patient-clinician SDM, with particular emphasis on this model's relevance to the unique treatment concerns of depressed older adults.


RESULTS
We describe a SDM intervention to engage older adults in depression treatment in the primary care sector.


CONCLUSIONS
It is timely to examine SDM models for elderly depressed primary care patients given their potential ability to improve treatment adherence and clinical outcomes.
Raue
Patrick J
PJ
Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, USA. praue@med.cornell.edu
Schulberg
Herbert C
HC
Lewis-Fernandez
Roberto
R
Boutin-Foster
Carla
C
Hoffman
Amy S
AS
Bruce
Martha L
ML
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003657:Decision Making; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D010358:Patient Participation; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*