Effectiveness of a coordinated ambulatory care program for patients with mental disorders or multiple sclerosis: results of a prospective non-randomized controlled trial in South Germany.

Background: The Psychiatry, Neurology, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy (PNP) program of the German statutory health insurance AOK BW promotes coordinated and evidence-based specialist care with the aim of providing individualized, guideline-based outpatient care, strengthening the collaboration between health care providers, as well as reducing care costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate its effectiveness regarding patient-reported outcomes compared to the less specialized general practitioner program (GP) and usual care (UC).

Materials And Methods: AOK insured patients, who were on sick leave due to a mental disorder (affective disorder, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, somatoform disorder, alcohol abuse disorder, schizophrenia) or multiple sclerosis were included in the prospective non-randomized controlled study.

Influence of established and subjectively perceived as well as evaluated individual characteristics on the utilization of mental health services among individuals with depressive disorders: protocol of a longitudinal study examining how to supplement the "behavioral model of health services use" and on need-congruent use of mental health services.

Background: Approximately one out of every three people in Germany who meets the diagnostic criteria for major depression has contact with mental health services. Therefore, according to treatment guidelines, two thirds of all individuals with depression are insufficiently treated. In the past, the subjective perspective of people who (do not) make use of mental health services has been neglected.

Depression treatment in Germany - using claims data to compare a collaborative mental health care program to the general practitioner program and usual care in terms of guideline adherence and need-oriented access to psychotherapy.

Background: Societies strive for fast-delivered, evidence-based and need-oriented depression treatment within budget constraints. To explore potential improvements, selective contracts can be implemented. Here, we evaluate if the German collaborative psychiatry-neurology-psychotherapy contract (PNP), which extends the gatekeeping-based general practitioner (GP) program, improved guideline adherence or need-oriented and timely access to psychotherapy compared to usual care (UC).

GPs' views on the use of depression screening and GP-targeted feedback: a qualitative study.

Purpose: The first aim of this qualitative study was to identify general practitioners' (GPs') views on depression screening combined with GP-targeted feedback in primary care. The second aim was to determine the needs and preferences of GPs with respect to GP-targeted feedback to enhance the efficacy of depression screening.

Methods: A semistructured qualitative interview was conducted with officially registered GPs in Hamburg (Germany).

Patient involvement in developing a patient-targeted feedback intervention after depression screening in primary care within the randomized controlled trial GET.FEEDBACK.GP.

Background: Patient and public involvement (PPI) is increasingly required in mental health services research. To empower patients to actively address depression, the GET.FEEDBACK.

How does the integration of collaborative care elements in a gatekeeping system affect the costs for mental health care in Germany?

Mental disorders are widespread, debilitating and associated with high costs. In Germany, usual care (UC) for mental disorders is afflicted by poor coordination between providers and long waiting times. Recently, the primary alternative to UC-the gatekeeping-based general practitioners (GP) program-was extended by the collaborative Psychiatry-Neurology-Psychotherapy (PNP) program, which is a selective contract designed to improve mental health care and the allocation of resources.

[PNP Program - Collaborative Mental and Neurological Health Care Program in Baden-Württemberg: Evaluation from the Perspective of Health Care Providers Enrolled in the Program].

Objective: To evaluate structure and process quality from the perspective of health care providers enrolled in the PNP program. This collaborative care program developed by a German statutory health insurance provides specific rules on psychiatric, neurological, psychosomatic, and psychotherapeutic treatment. It aims to improve the quality of health care by strengthening evidence-based outpatient care and collaboration between health care providers.

[Beliefs about Treatment of Depression - A Qualitative Analysis of Treatment Beliefs about Psychotherapy and Primary Care among People with Depression].

Objective: We aimed to identify treatment beliefs about psychotherapy and primary care for depression among people with depressive disorders.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews among 21 people with depression and different experiences with health care. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis.

Illness beliefs about depression among patients seeking depression care and patients seeking cardiac care: an exploratory analysis using a mixed method design.

Background: Treatment of depression in cardiac patients is difficult. Patients' illness beliefs regarding depression are associated with outcomes. The aim of the mixed-methods study was to test whether patients in routine care for depression differ from patients with depression in routine care for cardiac diseases regarding illness beliefs about depression.

Collaborative mental health care program versus a general practitioner program and usual care for treatment of patients with mental or neurological disorders in Germany: protocol of a multiperspective evaluation study.

Background: German statutory health insurances are pursuing the goal of improving treatment of chronically ill people by promoting networks of health care providers and supporting treatments that reflect the current medical knowledge. The so-called PNP program is a collaborative care program developed by a German statutory health insurance, which defines specific rules on psychiatric, neurological, psychosomatic, and psychotherapeutic treatment. It aims to strengthen provision of guideline-based outpatient treatment and collaboration between different health care providers.

Factors associated with help-seeking behaviour among individuals with major depression: A systematic review.

Psychological models can help to understand why many people suffering from major depression do not seek help. Using the 'Behavioral Model of Health Services Use', this study systematically reviewed the literature on the characteristics associated with help-seeking behaviour in adults with major depression. Articles were identified by systematically searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycInfo databases and relevant reference lists.

What Do Patients Think about the Cause of Their Mental Disorder? A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Causal Beliefs of Mental Disorder in Inpatients in Psychosomatic Rehabilitation.

Background: Patients' causal beliefs about their mental disorders are important for treatment because they affect illness-related behaviours. However, there are few studies exploring patients' causal beliefs about their mental disorder.

Objectives: (a) To qualitatively explore patients' causal beliefs of their mental disorder, (b) to explore frequencies of patients stating causal beliefs, and (c) to investigate differences of causal beliefs according to patients' primary diagnoses.

A qualitative investigation of barriers and facilitators of rehabilitation success from the psychosomatic inpatients' perspective.

Objective: Psychosomatic inpatient rehabilitation aims at promoting functioning in patients with mental disorders. Although generally effective, some patients do not benefit from this rehabilitation and suffer from symptoms as well as functional impairment. This study aimed to identify patient-reported factors influencing activity and participation outcomes.