A nurse-delivered intervention was effective for depression in patients with cancer
M Sharpe
Professor M Sharpe, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Michael.Sharpe@ed.ac.uk
QUESTION
What is the effectiveness of a complex, nurse-delivered intervention for treating major depression in patients with cancer?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial (RCT) (Symptom Management Research Trials [SMaRT]).
Allocation:
{concealed}.*
Blinding:
blinded {data collectors, outcome assessors, data analysts, and safety committee}.*
Follow-up period:
12 months.
Setting:
a regional cancer centre in the UK.
Patients:
200 outpatients (mean age 57 y, 71% women) who had cancer with prognosis ⩾6 months and major depressive disorder (Symptom Checklist [SCL]-20 score ⩾1.75) for ⩾1 month. Exclusion criteria included epilepsy, concurrent intensive anticancer treatment (eg, frequent chemotherapy or radiotherapy), and receipt of specialist psychiatric care.
Intervention:
a nurse-delivered intervention plus usual care (n = 101) or usual care alone (n = 99). The intervention consisted …
