Self-care tools cut depression in AMD, diabetic retinopathy
(HealthDay)—Self-care tools can reduce depressive symptoms in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to a study published online Dec. 7 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
Hortence Kamga, from Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal, and colleagues conducted a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial involving 80 participants with late stage AMD or DR, at least mild depressive symptoms, and visual acuity better than 20/200. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention, which consisted of large-print written and audio tools incorporating cognitive-behavioral principles plus three 10-minute telephone calls, or delayed intervention/usual care.
The researchers found that the intervention reduced depressive symptoms by 2.1 points more than usual care, after adjustment for baseline imbalances in visual acuity (P = 0.040). The intervention was not associated with secondary outcomes, including anxiety, life space, and self-efficacy.
"Self-care tools plus telephone coaching led to a modest improvement in depressive symptoms in patients with age-related eye disease," the authors write. "Additional research on how to maximize their effect is necessary."
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