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Cost‐effectiveness of cognitive self‐therapy in patients with depression and anxiety disorders
Author(s) -
Stant A. D.,
Ten Vergert E. M.,
Den Boer P. C. A. M.,
Wiersma D.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01122.x
Subject(s) - anxiety , depression (economics) , medicine , psychological intervention , checklist , cognitive therapy , cognition , physical therapy , health care , psychiatry , intensive care medicine , psychology , economics , cognitive psychology , macroeconomics , economic growth
Objective: Self‐therapy interventions could potentially reduce healthcare expenses and the need for care in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. This study assessed the cost‐effectiveness of cognitive self‐therapy (CST) in patients with these disorders. Method: A total of 151 patients were randomly assigned to CST or treatment as usual (TAU), and followed during 18 months. The Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL‐90) was the primary outcome measure of the study. The reference year was 2003 (US$1.00 = €0.92). Results: Mean costs of patients in the CST group (US$4364) were lower than that of the patients who received TAU (US$5241). The results of the SCL‐90 were slightly in favour of CST. Valuing an additional unit of health outcome at US$108 will lead to an 83% probability that CST is cost‐effective. Conclusion: Cognitive self‐therapy appears to be cost‐effective. Wider implementation of CST may relieve the burden of many patients with emotional disorders whose treatment needs cannot be met in current healthcare systems.