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Published on: February 22, 2018
Vicarious experience affects patients' treatment preferences for depression.
Seth A Berkowitz1, Robert A Bell, Richard L Kravitz
1Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America. Seth.Berkowitz@ucsf.edu
Plos One
|February 25, 2012
Summary
Vicarious experiences with depression, such as those of friends or family, are linked to more positive attitudes toward antidepressant medications. Clinicians should explore these experiences to tailor depression treatment and improve adherence.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Depression is a prevalent condition in primary care settings, frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated.
- While personal experiences with depression influence treatment adherence, the impact of vicarious experiences remains largely unexamined.
- Understanding factors influencing treatment preferences is crucial for effective depression management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between vicarious experiences of depression (from friends or family) and patients' treatment preferences for depressive symptoms.
- To determine if vicarious exposure to depression impacts attitudes towards antidepressant pharmacotherapy.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 1054 adult subjects from the 2008 California Behavioral Risk Factor Survey System was surveyed.
- Data collected included depressive symptoms and treatment preferences, with a unidimensional scale developed for attitudes toward antidepressant pharmacotherapy.
- Linear regression analyses were employed to assess the relationship between vicarious experiences and treatment preferences, controlling for covariates.
Main Results:
- The study sample comprised 68% female, 91% white, and 13% Hispanic individuals, with a mean PHQ-9 score of 4.3.
- Vicarious experiences with depression (family or friends) were significantly associated with more favorable attitudes toward antidepressant medications.
- This association held true for patients with and without a personal history of depression, after controlling for demographic factors and current depressive symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Patients with vicarious exposure to depression demonstrate greater acceptance of pharmacotherapy.
- Conversely, a lack of vicarious experiences correlates with more negative attitudes toward antidepressants.
- Clinicians should ascertain patients' vicarious experiences to identify potential non-adherence risks and personalize depression treatment education.
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