A mental health intervention that began before surgery reduced postsurgery anxiety and depression among older adults, according to a clinical trial led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
The Sept. 9 study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed 306 adults aged 60 and older who were screened and enrolled after reporting mild to moderate depression and anxiety symptoms and were scheduled for cardiac, oncologic or orthopedic surgery in hospitals across the BJC HealthCare system.
Both groups received the same educational materials on mindfulness, sleep and brain health. Patients in the intervention group also talked with a wellness coach over 8 to 12 phone sessions and received a personalized medication review, while the control group received only the educational materials.
Three months after surgery, patients receiving the intervention experienced a 2.2-to-2.5-point greater reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms compared with the control group, using a 48-point scale. Older adults undergoing cancer surgery experienced the strongest improvement, scoring nearly five points lower than the control group.
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