Internet plus-based post-discharge continuity care for mild-to-moderate depression: An exploratory study.

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Nursing Science

Background:

• Depression affects over 300 million globally, with a 34% rise noted between 2001-2020.
• Post-discharge relapse rates for depression remain high (50% within one year) despite pharmacological treatments.
• Traditional follow-up models show limitations in symptom monitoring and medication adherence, necessitating innovative interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of the "Internet+" concept in post-discharge continuity of care for patients with mild to moderate depression.
• To investigate the effectiveness of an integrated "Internet+"-based extended nursing model using WeChat.
• To assess the impact on anxiety/depression reduction, cognitive improvement, and nurse professional identity.

Main Methods:

• 82 patients with mild/moderate depression were randomly assigned to an observation group (Internet+ nursing) or a control group (conventional care).
• A three-month intervention program was implemented, comparing both groups on anxiety, depression, cognitive function, medication adherence, satisfaction, quality of life, and nursing professional identity.
• Assessments included the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale.

Main Results:

• The observation group showed significantly lower anxiety and depression scores and higher cognitive function scores compared to the control group (P < 0.05).
• Medication compliance was significantly higher (90.24% vs 70.73%) and patient satisfaction rates were elevated across all domains in the observation group.
• The observation group reported significantly better quality of life across all dimensions and enhanced professional identity for nurses, which correlated positively with patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

• "Internet+" continuous nursing effectively improves anxiety, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function in mild to moderate depression.
• This model enhances medication compliance, quality of life, and patient satisfaction, while also boosting nurses' professional identity.
• The findings support the clinical promotion and application of "Internet+" continuous nursing for depression management.