Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in patients suffering from depression and in receipt of disability benefits.

Depression is expected to become the second leading cause of disease burden worldwide by the year 2020. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective methods of treatment for depression. CBT may be less effective, or ineffective, in the setting of patients in receipt of disability benefits who are likely to, on average, suffer worse outcomes than patients not receiving benefits. Currently, there is no review that has systematically assessed the effectiveness of CBT in patients suffering from depression and in receipt of disability benefits. We will examine the effectiveness of CBT in patients suffering from depression and in receipt of disability benefits by performing a systematic review of studies that evaluate CBT and by analyzing the administrative database of Sun Life Financial, a Canadian private insurance company. This would have large implications in establishing if the current treatment funds directed to CBT represent a good investment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Gordon Guyatt

Student:

Shanil Ebrahim

Partner:

Sun Life Financial

Discipline:

Epidemiology / Public health and policy

Sector:

Finance, insurance and business

University:

McMaster University