As depression is reduced, patients are statistically more likely to drop out of a behavioral health treatment program as compared with patients with greater depression severity. The study can have implications on how behavioral healthcare treatment is delivered. 

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A newly released study from Science Direct's Psychiatry Research Communications journal conducted as part of a research support agreement between Brigham and Women's Hospital and Discovery Behavioral Health examines treatment dropout in behavioral health treatment. Understanding the relationship between depression severity, patient recovery, and treatment continuity may help impact and optimize the delivery of future behavioral health services.

The study measured the association between treatment dropout and depression severity, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the association between treatment dropout and baseline recovery, as measured by the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS). The sample of 14,689 patients were treated at Discovery treatment centers in multiple states and included patients from eating disorder, mental health and substance use programs discharged between 2021 and 2022.

"These findings lay the foundation for our future work on predictive models and a comprehensive clinical decision support system that will allow us to provide personalized and dynamic treatment regimens to our patients" said Dr. Rachel Wood, VP, Learning Health Systems, Discovery.

 "Our collaboration with DBH has led to the development of new knowledge regarding factors associated with premature behavioral health treatment discontinuation. This information is crucial to identifying new approaches to ensure greater treatment continuity for patients with mental health and substance use disorders that will ultimately help improve their health and well-being," said Jason Gibbons, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Philip Wang, M.D., Dr.P.H., Director of the Center for Learning Health Systems at Brigham and Women's Hospital, who also serves as Professor of the Practice of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said, "As Discovery Behavioral Health's research partner, we share their commitment to tracking their patients' behavioral health over time. Because of it, we look forward to learning how to continually improve the access, quality, equity and mental health outcomes that patients can achieve in this country."

Discovery President & CEO John Peloquin states, "Our programs continue to benefit from our Learning Health System, alliances with key academic and technology partners and a commitment to measurement-based care since inception. We are more than a treatment provider. We are creating new and better ways for our industry to support lifelong recovery."

About Discovery Behavioral Health

Everyone deserves a happy, rewarding life. That is why Discovery Behavioral Health makes measurement-based, outcome-driven healthcare accessible and affordable. With a full continuum of care, we can offer the right treatment at the right time for those struggling with mental health, substance use or eating disorders. We continue to expand access to care by being in network with 100 payers and other managed care organizations and through our growing network of treatment centers nationwide.

Funding: This research did not receive grant funding.

Paper cited:  Gibbons, J et al, "Association between depression severity, mental health recovery and dropout from behavioral health care treatment" Psychiatry Research Communications Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2024, 100185

Contact: Sandra Sellani, SVP, Marketing & Public Relations, ssellani@discoverybh.com 

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SOURCE Discovery Behavioral Health