Studying the Impact of Patient Treatment Experiences on Patient Hope for Major Depressive Disorder Pharmacotherapies

Abstract: Background: Individuals receiving treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) continue to face multiple disease or treatment-related issues. A web-based survey was conducted with the objective to characterize perceptions and treatment experiences of people with MDD and understand the impact of those experiences on patient hope. Methods: The survey included domains to elicit detail on MDD disease burden and treatment experiences. Respondents indicated their level of agreement (7-point Likert scale) with 11 statements about hope for depression treatments. Study population enrolled were US adults with a self-reported diagnosis of MDD and current or past use of prescription medication(s) to treat MDD. Responses were analyzed descriptively and via logistic regression modelling using SAS 9.4. Results: Of 385 respondents, 79% reported being diagnosed ≥5 years ago, 68% reported symptoms consistent with moderate, severe, or very severe depression on the validated patient-rated depression scale QIDS-SR-16, and 52% reported productivity issues due to depression. Among those currently taking a pharmacotherapy for MDD (n = 328, 85%), 48% reported that ≥1 of their side effects was at least somewhat bothersome and 74% were not completely satisfied with how their current treatment relieves depression symptoms. The presence of disease or treatment-related aspects was associated with disagreement on 6 treatment expectation statements assessing feelings of hope (odds ratios ranged 1.9-33.8, p