Treating Depression Among Low-Income Patients With Cancer (ADAPt-C)

The ADAPt-C collaborative depression care model is designed to: improve depression symptom reduction in the intervention group over the modestly enhanced usual care group of low-income, predominantly Hispanic, patients with cancer who are receiving care in an urban public sector care system; and to improve quality of life outcomes among intervention patients over enhanced usual care.

This controlled trial has tested the effectiveness of a socio-culturally tailored depression care program that includes a patient-centered approach to antidepressant medication management or structured psychotherapy (Problem Solving Treatment (PST)), patient/family depression education, treatment maintenance and relapse prevention counseling. Intervention enhancements include: depression care management based on a stepped care depression treatment algorithm; extension of the oncology care management team with a master's degreed social worker, who acts as Cancer Depression Clinical Specialist (CDCS) and provides PST, treatment follow-up and feedback to the oncologist, and who facilitates patient-provider communication and health system and community resources navigation; a psychiatric consultant, who provides supervision of the CDCS and consultation and antidepressant medication prescription for individual patients; and a didactic for oncologists on depression management. Cultural sensitivity and competency enhancements include: patient choice of first line treatment (antidepressant medication/PST) and degree of family participation in their depression care; PST tailored for language and literacy of patients with cancer; bilingual, bicultural CDCS; Spanish educational materials; and communication facilitation. Enhanced Usual Care (EUC) patients will receive the care and services routinely provided patients with cancer plus an educational/resource pamphlet for patients and for family members(on depression and cancer, depression treatment, talking with your doctor about your depression, and medical center and community mental health care resources). With patient consent, the oncologist is informed if EUC patients screen positive for major depression/dysthymia.

EUC patients receive medical center standard oncology care and supportive services routinely provided to all patients with cancer. In addition, EUC patients are given a patient focused and a family focused educational pamphlet on depression and cancer and a listing of financial and community resources (in Spanish for Spanish-speaking patients). With patient consent, as described in the informed written consent, the treating oncologist is informed via medical chart note if EUC patients screen positive for major depression. Treating oncology attending physicians, fellows and residents are invited to attend a didactic session led by the study psychiatrist on treating depression in cancer patients.

Intervention patients receive: first-line choice of antidepressant medication management,psychotherapy or both; depression education, and maintenance/relapse prevention counseling based on a stepped care depression treatment algorithm, treatment follow-up and feedback to the oncologist, and systems navigation; a psychiatric consultant who prescribes antidepressant medication for individual patients; and a didactic for oncologists on depression management. Cultural adaptations include: patient choice of first line treatment and degree of family participation in their depression care; PST tailored for literacy and patients with cancer; bilingual, bicultural CDCS; Spanish educational materials.

Experimental Arm patients receive: first-line choice of antidepressant medication management,psychotherapy or both; depression education, and maintenance/relapse prevention counseling based on a stepped care depression treatment algorithm, treatment follow-up and feedback to the oncologist, and systems navigation; a psychiatric consultant who prescribes antidepressant medication for individual patients; and a didactic for oncologists on depression management. Cultural adaptations include: patient choice of first line treatment and degree of family participation in their depression care; PST tailored for literacy and patients with cancer; bilingual, bicultural CDCS; Spanish educational materials.

The SF-12 measures 8 health domains: physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role emotional, and mental health. PCS is a summary score measuring physical health derived by summing responses across scale items and then transforming to a 0-100 scale (higher scores indicate better health).

Inclusion Criteria: - 90 days post cancer diagnosis receiving acute cancer treatment or active follow-up Exclusion Criteria: - patients with advanced cancer or another medical condition that limited life expectancy to less than 6 months

National Cancer Institute, "Project ADAPT-C" selected for Research-Tested Interventions NCI Program 2014, http://rtips.cancer.gov/rtips/programDetails.do?programId=3551008. https://researchtoreality.cancer.gov/featured-r2r-partners/kathleen-ell-dsw 1. ADAPt-C randomized clinical trial selected by the Predicting OptimaL cAncer RehabIlitation and Supportive care (POLARIS Consortia) led by the Netherlands

Ell K, Quon B, Quinn DI, Dwight-Johnson M, Wells A, Lee PJ, Xie B. Improving treatment of depression among low-income patients with cancer: the design of the ADAPt-C study. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2007 May-Jun;29(3):223-31. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2007.01.005.