title: Agoraphobia: an outreach treatment programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Agoraphobia is disabling and clients find it hard to access effective treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes the development of an inexpensive service, delivered by trained volunteers in or near the client's own home.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe the development of the service, including selection, training and supervision. Outcomes were evaluated over 5 years, and compared with those available from the local psychology service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Effect sizes on all measures were high. Benchmarking indicated that results on comparable measures were not significantly different from the local psychology service. As in many previous studies drop-out rate was fairly high.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This model worked well, and was inexpensive and effective. Further research on long term outcome and methods of enhancing engagement is needed.
authors.affiliation: Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK. alison.croft@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Croft
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hackmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014838:Volunteers