This clinical guideline was commissioned by NICE and developed by the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. It sets out clear, evidenceand consensus-based recommendations for healthcare staff on how to treat and manage depression in adults with a chronic physical health problem.
A fifth of people with a chronic physical health problem (such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke) have depression – a rate that is two to three times higher than in those who are in good physical health. A combination of depression and a chronic physical health problem can significantly worsen the negative outcomes for people with both conditions. The NICE guideline is an invaluable resource enabling healthcare professionals to address these problems and recognise, assess and offer effective treatments for depression in people with a chronic physical health problem.
The guideline reviews the evidence for the identification of depression in people with a chronic physical health problem and the associated service-level interventions (such as stepped care and collaborative care) and psychosocial, psychological and pharmacological interventions. It places special emphasis on advising health professionals about interactions between antidepressants and any prescribed medication for the physical health problem. As in the updated edition of the NICE guideline on depression, this guideline also covers subthreshold depressive symptoms. It has a useful introduction to depression in adults with a chronic physical health problem and a chapter on service user, carer and staff experience of care.
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