A model for other settings?
Commenting on the study, Nagy A. Youssef, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and director of clinical research at Ohio State University, Columbus, called the results “interesting.”
“Treating patients with comorbid mild to moderate depression and current or past PTSD within the primary care setting using a care management program could be a model for other VA hospitals as well as in non-VA settings,” said Dr. Youssef, who was not part of the study.
Dr. Youssef noted that not only was there no difference in symptomatic improvement between the depression-plus-PTSD and depression-only groups, but program completion rates did not differ.
This further emphasizes “the potential utility of this approach in initial patient treatment, especially with limited mental health resources and the need to help more patients,” he said.
Dr. Zuschlag and Dr. Youssef report no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.