title: Differentiated information on antidepressants at hospital discharge: a hypothesis-generating study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This hypothesis-generating study examined the clinical, humanistic and economic impact of providing differentiated medication information depending on the patient's information desire as compared with undifferentiated information to patients with a major depressive episode at hospital discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal multi-centre study with quasi-experimental design comprised two experimental groups ((un)differentiated antidepressant information) and one 'no information' group. Patients were followed up for 1 year assessing adherence, economic outcomes (i.e. costs of medicines, consultations, productivity loss and re-admissions), clinical outcomes (i.e. depressive, anxiety and somatic symptoms and side effects) and humanistic outcomes (i.e. quality of life, satisfaction with information). A linear model for repeated measures was applied to assess differences over time and between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-nine patients participated. Still participating 1 year later were 78. No beneficial effect was observed for adherence. Lower productivity loss (P = 0.021) and costs of consultations with healthcare professionals (P = 0.036) were observed in the differentiated group. About one-third of patients were re-admitted within 1 year following discharge. Patients in the 'no information' group had significantly more re-admissions than patients in the undifferentiated group (P = 0.031).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hypothesis of differentiated information could be supported for economic outcomes only. Future medication therapy intervention studies should apply a more rigorous study design.
authors: Research Centre for Pharmaceutical Care and Pharmaco-Economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. franciska.desplenter@pharm.kuleuven.be
authors: Franciska
authors: F
authors: Desplenter
authors: Gert
authors: G
authors: Laekeman
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Simoens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: costs; depression; medicine information services; patient adherence; psychiatric hospitals