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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Guidance by physicians and pharmacists during antidepressant therapy: patients’ needs and suggestions for improvement

Authors: Mariёtte Nederlof, Daniёlle C. Cath, Lennart J. Stoker, Toine C. G. Egberts, Eibert R. Heerdink

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Guidance of patients treated with antidepressants is paramount for successful therapy. The aim was to assess patients’ needs and suggestions for improvement of guidance by physicians and pharmacists during second generation antidepressant (SGA) therapy.

Methods

Five focus group discussions were held with a total of 34 patients using an SGA. The discussions were conducted flexibly and responsively using a semi-structured topic list. All focus group discussions were video-recorded and transcripts were analyzed using ATLAS.ti for coding, thematic and open analysis.

Results

Participants stated they were in need of better guidance. They suggested improving content of information during decisional moments, patient-health care professional communication and communication between health care professionals, and finally, organization of guidance. Barriers to achieving improved guidance were cited.

Conclusions

Content, communication and organization of guidance are pivotal for achieving optimal guidance. Participants mentioned their current experienced guidance had limitations and brought up solutions for improvement. A next step would be to discuss the suggested solutions with health care professionals to assess their views and to discuss the possibility for implementation. After implementation, future studies could be aimed at determination of its impact on patients’ treatment efficacy, quality of life, treatment satisfaction and healthcare costs.
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Metadata
Title
Guidance by physicians and pharmacists during antidepressant therapy: patients’ needs and suggestions for improvement
Authors
Mariёtte Nederlof
Daniёlle C. Cath
Lennart J. Stoker
Toine C. G. Egberts
Eibert R. Heerdink
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1522-9

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