An interventional study of Financial incentives in Depression, sponsored by University of Pennsylvania. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 21 Years to 64 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-10-15.
Sponsored by University of Pennsylvania · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research
The investigators will test using financial incentives by leveraging decision-making biases to improve adherence to antidepressants among adults newly prescribed antidepressants. This study will compare the effects of usual care, increasing financial incentives, and decreasing financial incentives on daily antidepressant medication adherence and depression symptom control of non-elderly adults with Major Depressive Disorder.
A three arm randomized controlled trial will compare interventions to promote antidepressant adherence. One hundred twenty adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) who are initiating antidepressant treatment will be randomized in equal proportion to 1) usual care, 2) usual care and an escalating daily financial incentive for 6 weeks, or 3) usual care and a de-escalating financial incentive for daily antidepressant adherence for 6 weeks. Study patients will participate in three assessments over a 12 week period as well as passive monitoring of antidepressant daily adherence through a wireless electronic pill bottle over the same 12 week period. The primary outcome will be the number of antidepressant daily doses taken during the initial six weeks of treatment. The secondary outcome will be daily adherence during the next six weeks following the discontinuation of the intervention.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants assigned to the escalating financial incentives will receive an increasing financial incentive for taking their antidepressant medication for the initial 6 weeks of treatment.
Other: Financial incentives
Participants assigned to the de-escalating financial incentives will receive a decreasing financial incentive for taking their antidepressant medication for the initial 6 weeks of treatment.
Other: Financial incentives
Participants in this condition will receive usual care.
Providing money for taking antidepressant medication
Antidepressant adherence
The number of antidepressant daily doses taken during the initial six weeks of treatment
Time frame: Daily for first 6 weeks of study
Antidepressant adherence post-intervention
The number of antidepressant daily doses taken between 6 and 12 weeks
Time frame: Daily between 6 and 12 weeks
Depression symptoms
Severity of depressive symptoms as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The PHQ-9 measures depressive symptoms, with scores ranging from 0-27 (higher scores meaning more depressive symptoms).
Time frame: At baseline, 6 week follow-up, and 12 week follow-up
Plan to share: No
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2019. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Pennsylvania