Collaborative Care for Depression and Anxiety: Racial-Ethnic Differences in Treatment Engagement and Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Mental Health Disparities
• Primary Care

Background:

• Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) is used in primary care to treat mental health conditions.
• Racial-ethnic disparities in healthcare engagement and outcomes persist.
• Understanding these disparities within CoCM is vital for equitable care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial-ethnic differences in engagement and clinical outcomes within a primary care CoCM.
• To identify disparities in treatment follow-up and symptom response among Black, Hispanic, and White patients.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of CoCM for diverse patient populations.

Main Methods:

• Study included 4,911 adult patients screened positive for depression/anxiety.
• Participants identified as non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or non-Hispanic White.
• Outcomes measured treatment engagement (follow-up visits) and symptom response/remission.

Main Results:

• Black and Hispanic patients were less likely to receive adequate follow-up compared to White patients.
• However, those receiving adequate follow-up showed greater depression symptom response and anxiety remission.
• Sociodemographic covariates were adjusted in the analyses.

Conclusions:

• The CoCM demonstrated effectiveness in treating depression and anxiety for Black and Hispanic patients.
• Significant disparities in follow-up care access were observed.
• Targeted interventions are needed to enhance retention of minority patients in collaborative care settings.