Practices of Depression Care in Home Health Care: Home Health Clinician Perspectives.

TitlePractices of Depression Care in Home Health Care: Home Health Clinician Perspectives.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsBao Y, Eggman AA, Richardson JE, Sheeran TF, Bruce ML
JournalPsychiatr Serv
Volume66
Issue12
Pagination1365-8
Date Published2015 Dec 01
ISSN1557-9700
KeywordsAttitude of Health Personnel, Depressive Disorder, Home Care Agencies, Home Care Services, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Nurses, Community Health
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The study assessed gaps between published best practices and real-world practices of treating depression in home health care (HHC) and barriers to closing gaps.

METHODS: The qualitative study used semistructured interviews with nurses and administrators (N=20) from five HHC agencies in five states. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed by a multidisciplinary team using grounded theory method to identify themes.

RESULTS: Routine HHC nursing overlapped with all functional areas of depression care. However, gaps were noted between best and real-world practices. Gaps were associated with perceived scope of practice by HHC nurses, knowledge gaps and low self-efficacy in depression treatment, stigma attached to depression, poor quality of antidepressant management in primary care, and poor communication between HHC and primary care clinicians.

CONCLUSIONS: Strategies to close gaps between typical and best practices include enhancing HHC clinicians' knowledge and self-efficacy with depression treatment and improving the quality of antidepressant management and communication with primary care.

DOI10.1176/appi.ps.201400481
Alternate JournalPsychiatr Serv
PubMed ID26423098
PubMed Central IDPMC4666762
Grant ListK01 MH090087 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
R01 MH082425 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
R01 MH096441 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
K01MH090087 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
Category: 
Faculty Publication