Effectiveness and efficiency of integrated mental health care programmes in Germany: study protocol of an observational controlled trial

BMC Psychiatry

Study Protocol

Annabel Sandra Stierlin¹  Katrin Herder¹  Stefanie Prinz¹  Thomas Becker¹  Marina Julia Helmbrecht¹  Reinhold Kilian¹  Matthias Schützwohl²  Julia Walendzik²  Marco Holzmann² 

[1] Department of Psychiatry II, Ulm University, Bezirkskrankenhaus Günzburg, Germany;Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, TU Dresden, Germany;

关键词: Integrated care;    Mental illness;    Depression;    Schizophrenia;    Quality of life;    Empowerment;    Cost-effectiveness;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-244X-14-163

 received in 2014-05-12, accepted in 2014-05-27,  发布年份 2014

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundSince 2009 some German health insurance companies have implemented integrated mental health care services along the principles of assertive community treatment in collaboration with local mental health service providers across Germany. Focus of this study is the analysis of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this integrated care programme compared to care as usual in routine care surroundings in five regions in Germany.MethodsIn this 18-month multi-centre observational trial 250 patients enrolled in an integrated mental health care programme and 250 patients who receive treatment as usual from five catchment areas will be included. In addition, in each group about 125 relatives of the participating patients will be included. The primary outcome criterion is the improvement of empowerment; secondary outcomes are subjective quality of life, functional impairment and costs of illness. Data will be collected at baseline and three follow-ups after 6, 12 and 18 months. Data will be analysed by means of mixed effects regression models. Propensity score methods are used for selection bias control.DiscussionStudy results are expected to provide information about how integrated care programmes in their present form contribute to the improvement of mental health care. In addition, the study will provide hints to weaknesses of the current integrated care programme and options to overcome them. The major strengths of this study are the real-world character of the study intervention with a simultaneous high level of academic rigour. However, the fact that patients are not randomised to study groups and that there is no blinding might limit the study.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trial Register DRKS00005111.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Stierlin et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2014