ICAA
What's new: Unlocking the future: Closing the gap between consumer expectations and community offerings in senior living report.

Industry News

[DOWN, BUT NOT OUT] UK puts therapy before drugs for depression in new update

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has updated its depression guidance for the first time in 12 years. The guidance is considered a draft, and individuals and organizations can comment on it through January 12, 2022.

The guideline emphasizes patient choice and shared decision making, and de-emphasizes antidepressants in favor of psychological and lifestyle options. The guideline committee created a menu of treatment options to allow patients to pick what’s right for them, in a discussion with their healthcare providers.

Individuals with less severe depression can choose from among first-line treatment options that include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exercise, counseling, or psychotherapy. A similar range of psychological interventions, along with the option of antidepressant medication, is available to those choosing a first-line treatment for more severe depression.

Dr. Paul Chrisp, director of the center for guidelines at NICE, commented, “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the impact depression has had on the nation’s mental health. People with depression need these evidence-based guideline recommendations available to the NHS, without delay.”

According to the UK’s Office of National Statistics, around one in six (17%) adults ages 16 and over in Great Britain experienced some form of depression in the summer of 2021. The rate remains higher than before the coronavirus pandemic (July 2019 to March 2020), where 10% of adults experienced some form of depression.

To read and/or comment on the draft guidance, click here

 

Do you have news to share?
The ICAA welcomes your news submissions. Please send your press releases to colinmilner@icaa.cc-the ICAA's email for submissions-and staff will consider your news for possible publication. Newsworthy topics include such things as center/community openings; initiative or campaign launches; announcements of awards, promotions or grants; and other topics of interest to active-aging professionals.

Share

 

icaa 100 members