title: Is a severe clinical profile an effect modifier in a Web-based depression treatment for adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression and diabetes are two highly prevalent and co-occurring health problems. Web-based, diabetes-specific cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) depression treatment is effective in diabetes patients, and has the potential to be cost effective and to have large reach. A remaining question is whether the effectiveness differs between patients with seriously impaired mental health and patients with less severe mental health problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test whether the effectiveness of an eight-lesson Web-based, diabetes-specific CBT for depression, with minimal therapist support, differs in patients with or without diagnosed major depressive disorder (MDD), diagnosed anxiety disorder, or elevated diabetes-specific emotional distress (DM-distress).
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data of 255 patients with diabetes with elevated depression scores, who were recruited via an open access website for participation in a randomized controlled trial, conducted in 2008-2009, comparing a diabetes-specific, Web-based, therapist-supported CBT with a 12-week waiting-list control group. We performed secondary analyses on these data to study whether MDD or anxiety disorder (measured using a telephone-administered diagnostic interview) and elevated DM-distress (online self-reported) are effect modifiers in the treatment of depressive symptoms (online self-reported) with Web-based diabetes-specific CBT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MDD, anxiety disorder, and elevated DM-distress were not significant effect modifiers in the treatment of self-assessed depressive symptoms with Web-based diabetes-specific CBT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This Web-based diabetes-specific CBT depression treatment is suitable for use in patients with severe mental health problems and those with a less severe clinical profile.  CLINICALTRIAL: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 24874457; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN24874457 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/63hwdviYr).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kim M P
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: van Bastelaar
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pouwer
authors.forename: Pim
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuijpers
authors.forename: Heleen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Riper
authors.forename: Jos W R
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Twisk
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Snoek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000523:psychology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009426:Netherlands