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Published Online: 12 April 2023

Effect of a Layperson-Delivered Telephone Program for People With Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Objective:

This study investigated whether a layperson-delivered telephone program focusing on empathy could improve depressive symptoms among adults.

Methods:

Data for a subset of participants from a randomized controlled trial (July 6–September 24, 2020) were analyzed to assess the impact of a telephone program on mental health. Participants in this post hoc analysis had baseline depressive symptoms and were assessed for depression, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation.

Results:

Of the 240 people in the original sample, 58 had depressive symptoms (i.e., baseline scores of ≥10 on the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-8]); 56 of the 58 were reassessed 4 weeks later. Participants in the intervention arm had greater improvements in PHQ-8 scores (baseline mean±SD=13.0±2.6, postintervention mean=9.2±3.0; mean difference=3.8, 95% CI=2.9–4.7) than participants in the control arm (mean difference=1.3, 95% CI=0.1–2.5) (p=0.013).

Conclusions:

This telephone intervention, delivered by a lay workforce, holds promise for reducing the burden on the clinical care system.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric Services
Go to Psychiatric Services
Psychiatric Services
Pages: 1176 - 1179
PubMed: 37042110

History

Received: 31 August 2022
Revision received: 4 December 2022
Revision received: 31 January 2023
Accepted: 22 February 2023
Published online: 12 April 2023
Published in print: November 01, 2023

Keywords

  1. Mental health workforce
  2. Lay providers
  3. Empathy
  4. Depression
  5. Loneliness
  6. Telehealth

Authors

Details

Maninder K. Kahlon, Ph.D. [email protected]
Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin.
Nazan Aksan, Ph.D.
Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin.
Rhonda Aubrey, M.H.I.
Department of Population Health, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin.

Notes

Send correspondence to Dr. Kahlon

Competing Interests

Dr. Kahlon’s laboratory receives funding from the Episcopal Health Foundation, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and Driscoll Health Plan and United Healthcare Community Plan of Texas (Medicaid managed care organizations). The other authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Funding Information

This research was funded by the Episcopal Health Foundation.

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