EPP020
What Outcomes Matter in Recovery in Depression?: Cross-sectional Sample of Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder in a Diverse, Safety-net Setting
J. Lam 1,*, A. Dobbins 1, N. Mulvaney-Day 1, A. Progovac 2
1Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, 2Institute of Excellence in Health Equity and Department of Population Health, New York University, New York, United States
Introduction: Behavioral health outcome measures often emphasize symptoms, while overlooking other important outcomes, such as recovery and feeling positive. Little is known about what outcomes patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) prioritize and few studies have characterized “positive” outcome measures, such as personal recovery and flourishing.
Objectives: In a sample of patients treated for MDD in an outpatient psychiatry clinic, we aim to 1) describe personal recovery outcomes most important to patients and 2) describe the relationship between measures of personal recovery, and measures of flourishing, and psychiatric symptoms and functioning.
Methods: The sample included 43 patients aged 18-35 with a diagnosis of MDD receiving outpatient treatment in an urban safety net psychiatry department in Massachusetts. Participants completed an electronic survey rating outcomes most important in their recovery and to complete standardized measures of flourishing, personal recovery, functioning, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Results: Mean age of the sample was 27.7 (SD = 5.2), most participants were female (n = 23; 53.3%), identified as non-white (n = 25; 59.4%), and were single (n = 28; 65.1%). A majority of participants had high symptoms of depression (61.9%; PHQ-8 ≥ 10), a minority had high symptoms of anxiety (37.5%; GAD-7 ≥ 10), and a minority were classified as flourishing (16.7%; Flourishing Scale ≥ 48). The top three outcomes participants ranked as “most important” in recovery were coping well with stressful events (39.5%), functioning well (34.9%), and having hopes and dreams for the future (30.2%). Flourishing and recovery questionnaires were all strongly positively correlated with one another (correlation coefficients each ≥ 0.73), and negatively correlated with symptom scales. Notably, among individuals with low depressive symptoms, 60.0% had low levels of flourishing and 31.3% had low levels of personal recovery.
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Conclusions: Individuals with MDD value a diverse range of outcomes. These findings may suggest the need to personalize treatment toward patient-defined goals, which include more positive outcomes. Incorporating measures of flourishing and personal recovery alongside measurement of symptoms may yield a more comprehensive understanding of overall mental health.
Disclosure of Interest: None Declared