Evaluation of an Adapted Collaborative Care Model for Older Adult Depression Severity Reduction and Quality of Life Improvement

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of a collaborative care model in the reduction of depression severity and the improvement of quality of life (QOL) of older adults.

Methods

Individual participant encounters were conducted approximately every 2 weeks over 4 months with nineteen participants. Average participant age was 73 years. A pre-experimental single pretest-posttest group was conducted in which the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and Quality of Life Assessment (QOLA) scores respectively measured depression severity and QOL of participants.

Results

The average PHQ-9 score (0–27; higher indicates worse depression) decreased from 14 pre-intervention to 8.3 post-intervention (p < .001), while the average QOLA score (0–10; higher indicates better QOL) increased from 5.7 pre-intervention to 6.5 post-intervention (p = .342).

Conclusion

The adapted collaborative care model provided an affordable, effective method of older adult depression management within the contexts of this clinical study.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaborative care
• geriatric depression
• quality of life improvement
• quantitative quality improvement
• single-group pretest-posttest design

Acknowledgments

Gratitude and recognition are extended to Kara DiCarlo LSW, Julie Tuskan MSW, Taylor Thomas MSW, and Mary Ann Roberts MEd/RC, BCPC for their instrumental efforts in the completion of this clinical study.

Declaration of Interest Statement

This clinical study was not funded. There are no conflicts of interest to disclose.