A community-based program that helps patients with epilepsy self-manage their condition and related psychiatric problems has proven effective in reducing the severity of depression according to a study published in Epilepsy and Behavior.
- Community Targeted Self-Management for Epilepsy and Mental Illness (C-TIME), a behavioral program, consisted of ten 60 to 90-minute sessions conducted over 12 weeks.
- The program included outreach and engagement efforts to help patients suffering from both epilepsy and mental health conditions.
- Thirty patients were enrolled in the program; four months after participating in C-TIME, 66% of the enrolled patients were available for outcome evaluation.
- Researchers reported significant reduction in depression severity, and more than 90% of the group said they were satisfied with results.
Sajatovic M, Needham K, Colón-Zimmermann K, et al. The Community-targeted Self-management of Epilepsy and Mental Illness (C-TIME) initiative: A research, community, and healthcare administration partnership to reduce epilepsy burden [published online ahead of print October 29, 2018]. Epilepsy Behav. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.10.004
