Predictors of Societal Costs in Dementia Patients and Their Informal Caregivers: A Two-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: Dementia poses a substantial economic burden on society. Knowing which factors predict high costs in dementia may help to better target interventions and optimize resource allocation. This study aimed to identify predictors of the total societal costs in dementia patients and their informal caregivers.

Cost-effectiveness of life-review for older adults with moderate depressive symptomatology: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Life-review has been established as an evidence-based treatment of depression in later life. This study investigates the cost-effectiveness of life-review compared to care-as-usual.

Methods: An economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial was carried out, comparing life-review (n=100) to care-as-usual (n=102).

Depression increases the onset of cardiovascular disease over and above other determinants in older primary care patients, a cohort study.

Background: To determine if major depressive disorder (MDD) in older primary care patients is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events.

Methods: A cohort of 143 primary care patients with depression and 139 non-depressed controls without depression (both aged over 55 years, matched for age and gender) from the Netherlands was evaluated for 2 years. MDD was diagnosed according to DSM-IV-criteria.

The two-year incidence of depression and anxiety disorders in spousal caregivers of persons with dementia: who is at the greatest risk?

Objective: Caregivers of persons with dementia play an important and economically valuable role within society, but many may do so at a considerable cost to themselves. Knowing which caregivers have the highest risk of developing a mental disorder may contribute to better support of ultra-high-risk groups with preventive interventions. This study aims to describe the incidence of depression and anxiety disorders in caregivers and to identify its significant predictors.

The obsessive compulsive spectrum in schizophrenia, a meta-analysis and meta-regression exploring prevalence rates.

Aims: The aims of this study were to conduct a meta-analysis and meta-regression to estimate the prevalence rates for obsessive compulsive symptoms (OCS) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in schizophrenia, and to investigate what influences these prevalence rates.

Method: Studies were identified via an online OVID database search, including PsychInfo, Embase and Medline until December 2009.

Results: Forty-three studies summarizing outcomes for 3978 subjects met inclusion criteria.

The cost-effectiveness of a family meetings intervention to prevent depression and anxiety in family caregivers of patients with dementia: a randomized trial.

Background: Dementia imposes a heavy burden on health and social care systems as well as on family caregivers who provide a substantial portion of the care. Interventions that effectively support caregivers may prevent or delay patient institutionalization and hence be cost-effective. However, evidence about the cost-effectiveness of such interventions is scarce.

Identifying target groups for the prevention of depression among caregivers of dementia patients.

Background: Depression in informal caregivers of persons with dementia is a major, costly and growing problem. However, it is not yet clear which caregivers are at increased risk of developing depression. With this knowledge preventive strategies could focus on these groups to maximize health gain and minimize effort.