An article published today in JAMA compared a collaborative care model with usual care in 404 patients with diabetes and moderate-to-severe depression in 4 diabetes clinics in India. Dr. Chwastiak was one of three Principal Investigators on the INDEPENDENT (Integrating Depression and Diabetes Treatment) study, which found significant clinical improvements in the group receiving the integrated care approach. More than 70 percent had improvements in diabetes and depression. This low-cost model produced impressive results both in improving depression as well as in several metabolic parameters and can be useful in other settings and countries.

Effect of a Collaborative Care Model on Depressive Symptoms and Glycated Hemoglobin, Blood Pressure, and Serum Cholesterol Among Patients With Depression and Diabetes in India (JAMA)

People with diabetes, depression improve with TLC (UW Medicine Newsroom)