Improvement in behavioral health symptoms and functioning among rural patients cared for by primary care teams using the extension for community health care outcomes model

Authors

Miriam Komaromy, Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, US
Erin Fanning Madden, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Preventive Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, US
Brant Hager, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, US
Fares Qeadan, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, US
Venice Ceballos, Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, US
Dan Duhigg, Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, US
Tina Carlson, Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, US
Sanjeev Arora, The ECHO Institute, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, New Mexico, USAFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2019

Abstract

Rural communities disproportionately experience behavioral health care shortages. This study examines outcomes among the patients of rural primary care teams trained and supported to deliver behavioral health care. Patients (n = 243) completed 5 iterations of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM–5) Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (World Health Organization, 2012). Survey data were used in multiple linear regressions to assess health changes. Patients who received treatment from teams experienced less anxiety, sleep problems, and cognition problems over time. This exploratory research shows supporting primary care teams to deliver behavioral health care is associated with improved behavioral health and functioning among rural patient populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

Recommended Citation

Komaromy M, Madden EF, Hager B, et al. Improvement in behavioral health symptoms and functioning among rural patients cared for by primary care teams using the extension for community health care outcomes model. Journal of Rural Mental Health. 2019;43(2-3):73-80. doi:10.1037/rmh0000115.supp (Supplemental)