Depression impacts a significant portion of the elderly population in the UK, with approximately one in four adults over 65 experiencing this condition. Addressing this issue effectively requires evaluating the most efficient strategies for managing depression among seniors.
A recent study conducted in northern England examines the cost-effectiveness of implementing depression screening followed by general practitioner (GP) consultations compared to the existing standard of care. The research aims to determine whether the additional costs associated with screening and GP follow-ups provide sufficient benefits in improving the quality of life for elderly patients.
Study Design and Methodology
The study was carried out alongside the CASCADE project, involving 1,020 participants aged 65 and older. Individuals scoring five or higher on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were assigned to the intervention group, receiving both screening and GP notifications. Those scoring above five were placed under standard care. Data on healthcare resource usage and quality of life were collected at the beginning and after six months. The research utilized the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and non-parametric bootstrapping to handle sampling uncertainty, presenting results through cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Additionally, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed to ensure the robustness of the findings.
Results and Analysis
The findings indicate that the screening plus GP approach led to an increase of £37 in costs and a decrease of 0.006 quality-adjusted life years compared to standard care. The probability that this method is cost-effective fell below 5% at a £30,000 threshold. However, subgroup analyses revealed that screening plus GP could be cost-effective for participants with specific baseline GDS scores, namely those between 2-7, 3-6, and 4-5.
• Screening plus GP incurs higher costs with minimal quality of life benefits.
• Targeted screening in specific GDS score ranges may offer cost-effective benefits.
• Sensitivity analyses support the reliability of the primary results.
The overall assessment shows that standard care remains more economically viable in northern England. Nevertheless, the potential cost-effectiveness in certain subgroups suggests that a tailored approach to depression management could be beneficial.
Future research should focus on conducting economic evaluations alongside randomized controlled trials to validate these findings. Such studies would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the financial and health outcomes associated with different depression management strategies for the elderly.
Implementing targeted depression screening could optimize resource allocation by focusing on populations most likely to benefit. This approach not only ensures better mental health outcomes for seniors but also enhances the sustainability of healthcare funding.
This article has been prepared with the assistance of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more details, please refer to our Terms and Conditions. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author.
