Cluster Randomized Trial of Stepped Care Intervention vs. Treatment as Usual for Patients With Depression

General physician performs monitoring every 2 weeks using the PHQ-9 depression scale.

"Patient works with self-help book Selbsthilfe bei Depressionen (Görlitz, 2010) under general physician's supervision."

"Patient works with online self-help program Deprexis under general physician's supervision."

Patient receives outpatient psychodynamic or cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy from a psychotherapist participating in the network.

Patient receives treatment from psychiatrist or general physician participating in the network, this includes psychopharmacotherapy. Treatment takes place within routine care, thus psychiatrists or general physicians individually determine the type of medication and are committed to follow the recommendations of the German S3-Guideline/National Disease Management Guideline for Unipolar Depression.

Patient receives psychotherapy combined with psychopharmacological treatment, if necessary in inpatient setting.

treatment as usual