Open AccessThe Effects of Adherence to Antidepressant Treatment Guidelines on Relapse and Recurrence of Depression
Author(s) -
Catherine A. Melfi,
Anita Chawla,
Thomas W. Croghan,
Mark Hanna,
Sean Kennedy,
Kate Sredl
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
archives of general psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1538-3636
pISSN - 0003-990X
DOI - 10.1001/archpsyc.55.12.1128
Subject(s) - antidepressant , medicine , depression (economics) , medical prescription , psychiatry , medicaid , population , guideline , relapse prevention , mental health , health care , anxiety , environmental health , pathology , economics , pharmacology , macroeconomics , economic growth
Depression is associated with high rates of relapse and recurrence during a patient's lifetime. Current guidelines regarding treatment recommend 4 to 9 months of continuation antidepressant therapy following remission of acute symptoms to allow more complete resolution of the episode. In this article, we test whether adherence to these recommendations reduces the likelihood of relapse or recurrence in a Medicaid population.