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Evidence to Improve Care

10

Assessment and Treatment for Recurrent Episodes

People with major depression who have reached full remission but are experiencing symptoms of relapse have timely access to reassessment and treatment.


Recurrent episodes of depression are common among those who have experienced a first episode of major depression. In such situations, it is vital that people have timely access to reassessment and the kinds of treatment that were effective for them in the past.

For Patients

You should receive care if you start feeling worse again after treatment.


For Clinicians

Assess and treat people with major depression who had reached full remission and who are experiencing symptoms of relapse, within 7 days or 4 weeks, depending on the severity of their symptoms.


For Health Services

Ensure systems, processes, and resources are in place for the appropriate triage and timely treatment of people experiencing a relapse of major depression.

Process Indicator

Percentage of people with mild to moderate major depression in full remission who receive a comprehensive assessment within 4 weeks after experiencing symptoms of relapse

  • Denominator: total number of people with mild to moderate major depression in full remission who are experiencing symptoms of relapse
  • Numerator: number of people in the denominator who receive a comprehensive assessment within 4 weeks of identification of relapse symptoms
  • Data source: local data collection

Percentage of people with severe major depression in full remission who receive a comprehensive assessment within 7 days after experiencing symptoms of relapse

  • Denominator: total number of people with severe major depression in full remission who are experiencing symptoms of relapse
  • Numerator: number of people in the denominator who receive a comprehensive assessment within 7 days of identification of relapse symptoms
  • Data source: local data collection
Timely access
  • For severe depression: within 7 days
  • For mild to moderate depression: within 4 weeks

Recurrent episodes of major depression

This consists of three or more episodes, two of which are in the past 5 years, with at least 6 months between episodes.

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