Quality Improvement Strategy Improves Depression, Anxiety Screening With Epilepsy
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, June 4, 2025 -- A quality improvement strategy can improve electronic health record-based screening for depression and anxiety in people with epilepsy, according to a study published online April 16 in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science.
Heidi M. Munger Clary, M.D., M.P.H., from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and colleagues developed an implementation strategy for anxiety and depression screening among people treated at an epilepsy center. Implementation outcomes were evaluated five months postimplementation compared to two three-month preimplementation time frames.
The researchers found that postimplementation, 29.2 percent of 943 visits met the anxiety and depression screening quality measure, a significant increase from 12.6 percent immediately preimplementation and 6.28 percent before any screening interventions. Postimplementation screening was significantly more likely to be completed in patients who were younger (mean, 39.3 versus 43.4 years for noncompleters) and White versus other race/ethnicity categories. Screening rates varied substantially among clinic staff (0 to 80 percent for support staff and 10.1 to 55.3 percent for providers).
"Anxiety and depression are common in epilepsy, yet they are often under-recognized and undertreated," Clary said in a statement. "But by leveraging existing clinical staff and electronic health record features, we can significantly increase screening rates, allowing for better patient management and treatment."
One author disclosed ties to Jazz, Biohaven, UCB, and Neurona.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted June 2025
Read this next
Late-Life Mood Disorders May Indicate Predisposition to Dementia
MONDAY, June 30, 2025 -- Alzheimer disease (AD) and diverse non-AD tau pathologies may contribute to late-life mood disorders (LLMDs), according to a study published online June 9...
Addictive Screen Use Tied to Suicidal Behaviors in Early Adolescence
FRIDAY, June 27, 2025 -- Both high and increasing addictive screen use trajectories are associated with suicidal behaviors and worse mental health in early adolescence, according...
Telehealth Intervention Beneficial for Seniors With Metastatic Cancer
WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 -- The telehealth-administered Geriatric Assessment–Guided Intervention (GAIN-S) improves physical function, mood, quality of life, and prognostic...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.