ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers found a telephone outreach program for depressed employees resulted in quicker symptom relief, more hours worked and greater job retention.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found depression care of workers has benefits not only on clinical outcomes but also on workplace outcomes such as recovered hiring, training and salary costs. The randomized controlled trial looked at 604 employees identified with significant depression.
Dr. Philip S. Wang of the National Institute of Mental Health in Rockville, Md., and colleagues looked at depression symptom relief, job retention, sickness absence and work productivity when comparing the impact of the telephone intervention to usual care.
The researchers said they believe employers would experience a positive return on investment from outreach and enhanced treatment of depressed workers.
The telephone outreach and care management program encouraged workers to enter outpatient treatment and receive psychotherapy or anti-depressant medication, but also monitored treatment quality continuity and attempted to give recommendations to clinicians. Participants reluctant to enter treatment were offered a structured telephone cognitive behavioral psychotherapy.
