title: Impact of a work-focused intervention on the productivity and symptoms of employees with depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test a new program's effectiveness in reducing depression's work burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  A brief telephonic program to improve work functioning was tested in an early-stage randomized controlled trial involving 79 Maine State Government employees who were screened in for depression and at-work limitations (treatment group = 59; usual care group = 27). Group differences in baseline to follow-up change scores on the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ), WLQ Absence Module, and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 depression severity scale were tested with analysis of covariance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although there were no baseline group differences (P ≥ 0.05), by follow-up, the treatment group had significantly better scores on every outcome and differences in the longitudinal changes were all statistically significant (P = 0.0.27 to 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new program was superior to usual care. The estimated productivity cost savings is $6041.70 per participant annually.
authors.affiliation: Program on Health, Work and Productivity, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. Dlerner@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lerner
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adler
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Evette J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ludman
authors.forename: Annabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greenhill
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Perch
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: McPeck
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008281:Maine / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome