Predicting and preventing relapse of depression in primary care

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Predicting and preventing relapse of depression in primary care

• IRAS ID

  292780

• Contact name

  Andrew Moriarty

• Contact email

  andrew.moriarty@york.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of York

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 9 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Depression is now the leading cause of disability in the world. People with depression often do not receive the healthcare they need to get well and stay well. The majority of patients are treated by general practitioners (GPs), and at least half of people with depression will become unwell again (relapse) after they have finished their initial treatment. At the moment, there is not much evidence about which patients are more likely than others to have a relapse, which makes it difficult for GPs to focus their efforts and know which patients should be receiving a “relapse prevention treatment”.
  The overall aim of this research study is to create a tool that identifies patients at increased risk of relapse who can then be offered treatment to prevent relapse. First, we undertook a review of all of the existing research looking to predict relapse and identified a need for improved resources. We are creating a new mathematical model (the PREDICTR prognostic model), using information from a large number of patients who participated in trials of treatments for depression in primary care, to help GPs identify people who are more likely to relapse. This part of the study aims to understand the views of people with lived experience of depression and GPs around current care and how such a tool could be put into a practice in a way that improves care for patients. We will carry out interviews with people who have experienced depression and GPs to understand the views of these groups with respect to current assessment and discussions of relapse, their understanding of relapse and how our model could be best used in the health service.
  

• REC name

  West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  22/WM/0022

• Date of REC Opinion

  4 Feb 2022

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion