Web-based Health Management of Depression for Seniors

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In this SBIR application we propose to create a web-based health management tool for older adult patients suffering from clinical depression. Clinical depression is common, underdiagnosed and poorly treated. Traditional solutions require increased action on the part of health care providers, yet the realities of present day medicine limit the potential impact. We propose to develop a novel and empowering health management solution where patients and their caregivers form the central point for an integrated depression treatment model. We propose a website, Senior.DepressionClinic.com that helps users to, 1) clarify the meaning of a certain cluster of symptoms, 2) better understand its severity, 3) make the decision to seek treatment, and 4) find professional resources for evaluation and assistance. After the diagnosis of depression is made by the patient's physician, the website will help the user: 5) understand available treatments and participate in the treatment planning process, 6) track symptom changes over time, side effects, and medication changes, 7) produce reports to assist providers and others in understanding past treatment success and failure, and 8) benefit from psychosocial components of treatment including communication options and organizational tools. Phase I will create a prototype of the web site, assess its usability for the intended audience, assess process outcomes, and measure effect of the website on knowledge and self-efficacy. Phase II will complete a trial of the website versus a depression education website that lacks the interactive tools provided in Senior.DepressionClinic.com. Two different studies will be used to assess impact on knowledge, self-efficacy, behavior, depression symptoms, and satisfaction with life as well as process outcomes. Using a community population we will assess ability of the software to alter treatment seeking behaviors. Using a population of subjects diagnosed with depression, we will assess impact on behaviors such as adherence and communication with the provider. Senior.DepressionClinic.com will be designed so that a similar methodology can be easily used to create websites for other illnesses.