TITLE:
The Cost-Effectiveness of Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Solution-Focused Therapy in the Treatment of Depressive and Anxiety Disorders during a Three-Year Follow-Up
AUTHORS:
Timo Maljanen, Tommi Härkänen, Esa Virtala, Olavi Lindfors, Päivi Tillman, Paul Knekt
KEYWORDS:
Depression, Anxiety, Psychotherapy, Cost Analysis
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.4 No.3,
July
21,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background: Various psychotherapies are
used extensively in treating different mental disorders, but still relatively
little is known about the long-term health and cost effects of different
therapies. The aim of this study
is to compare the cost-effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (SPP)
and solution-focused therapy (SFT) in the treatment of depressive and anxiety
disorders during a three-year follow-up. Methods: A total of 198 outpatients
suffering from mood or anxiety disorder were randomized to SPP or SFT. Symptoms were assessed
using the Beck Depression Inventory,
the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Symptom Check List Anxiety Scale, the
Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and the Symptom Check List Global Severity
Index. Both direct and indirect costs due to mental health problems were
measured. Results: The
symptoms of depression and anxiety were reduced statistically significantly
according to all 5 psychiatric outcome measures during the first 7 months, after which only minor changes were observed. The differences between the two groups were
small and not statistically significant. The direct costs were about equal in
both groups but the indirect costs were somewhat higher in the SPP group, although
not statistically significantly. The costs of auxiliary treatments were much
higher than the cost of SPP or SFT. Conclusions: With regard to cost-effectiveness, there is little
difference between SPP and SFT.