EMGO Institute, VU University Amsterdam and VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Psychology Van der Boechorststraat 11081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
BMC Psychiatry. 2011 May 18;11:89. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-11-89.
Although thousands of studies have examined the genetics, epidemiology, etiology, biology, treatment and prevention of major depressive disorder, we still lack very basic knowledge about what patients with depressive disorders need. Despite the thousands of studies that have been conducted on major depression and the hundreds of randomized trials that have examined the effects of treatments, many patients still do not know how to cope with the daily problems caused by depressive disorders. In this Commentary the need for more research on the perspectives of patients is described. This research should guide treatment studies as well as basic research much more than it currently does. This perpective is especially important to understand and solve the undertreatment of depression, one of the major problems in this area. Up to 50% of depressed patients do not seek treatment, resulting in huge avoidable disease burden and economic costs. In order to solve this problem we need a better understanding of the problems patients encounter in daily life, and what factors contribute to the reasons for seeking treatment or not. Research from the patients' perspective is also necessary to meet the currently unmet information needs of patients, including information about the nature and causes of depression, stigma, medication, treatment and coping with the daily problems of having depression.
尽管已经有数千项研究探讨了重度抑郁症的遗传学、流行病学、病因学、生物学、治疗和预防方法，但我们对患者的需求仍知之甚少。尽管已经有数千项关于重度抑郁症的研究，以及数百项检验治疗效果的随机试验，但许多患者仍然不知道如何应对由抑郁症引起的日常问题。在本篇述评中，作者阐述了需要进一步研究患者视角的问题。这种研究应该更多地指导治疗研究和基础研究，而不是像现在这样。这种观点对于理解和解决该领域的一个主要问题——治疗不足，尤其重要。多达 50%的抑郁症患者不寻求治疗，导致大量可避免的疾病负担和经济成本。为了解决这个问题，我们需要更好地了解患者在日常生活中遇到的问题，以及哪些因素导致他们寻求或不寻求治疗。从患者的角度进行研究，也有必要满足患者目前未得到满足的信息需求，包括关于抑郁症的性质和原因、污名、药物治疗、治疗方法以及应对抑郁症日常问题的信息。
