The economic impact of treatment non-response in major depressive disorders

Use of cognitive therapy for relapse prevention in chronic depression

“…We explored only health care costs and it is widely reported that effective treatment of depression often produces even greater reductions in indirect costs. Furthermore, a study of over 1600 patients with depression using a Medicaid programme in California, USA, demonstrated that those with treatment-resistant depression cost US$5321 (about £4000) more in total health care in the first year than patients who responded to acute treatment (McCoombs et al , 2001). Taken as a whole, the above findings suggest that efficient treatment of depression can be achieved if higher costs in the short term are balanced by better outcomes and therefore lower marginal costs in the long term (Sturm & Wells, 1995; Wells et al , 1996).…”