Long-term cost-effectiveness of group unified protocol in the Spanish public mental health system

Bibliographic Data

ID21621697
AuthorsÓscar Peris‐baquero (0000-0002-2437-1207, Universidad de Zaragoza), Ó Peris-Baquero, Julián D Moreno-Villamizar (0009-0004-0910-0793, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), J D Moreno, Jorge Osma (0000-0002-7293-318X, Universidad de Zaragoza, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume42
Issue26
Pages22462-22477
Publication date2023-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCurrent Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1046-1310 • E-ISSN: 1936-4733
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12144-022-03365-8
OpenAlexW4283361154
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited35

The limited material and human resources available in the Spanish public mental health system, combined with the high prevalence of emotional disorders nowadays, makes it necessary to search for and implement other more cost-effective formats. The versatility of the Unified Protocol (UP) for the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders allows its application in group format, which could be a cost-effective solution for the system. The aim of the present study is to investigate the cost-effectiveness of the UP applied in group format in specialized care units compared to the Treatment as usual (TAU) in the Spanish public mental health system over a 15-month time period. The sample of this study consisted of 188 patients, diagnosed with an emotional disorder, randomized to the UP condition in group format or to the TAU condition in individual format. The findings of this study have shown the same beneficial results for the participants with symptoms of anxiety and depression in both conditions and greater improvements in quality of life in the UP condition. Regarding cost-effectiveness results, at the 15-month follow-up, participants in the UP condition received a greater number of sessions, with a lower total economic cost compared to the TAU condition. Finally, reductions in the number of participants using antidepressants and a reduction in medication burden were found in the UP condition over time. The results of this study show that UP applied in a group format can be a cost-effectiveness solution for the Spanish public mental health system. Trial registration number: NCT03064477 (March 10, 2017)

Alternative medicine · Anxiety · Cost effectiveness · Economic evaluation · Mental health · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Public health · Randomized controlled trial · Clinical Psychology · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Medicine · Mental Health Research Topics · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Nursing · Psychology · Surgery

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