To compare the effectiveness of a psychoeducational group program and conventional treatment versus individual conventional care in patients with a mild/moderate depression disorder in urban primary healthcare centers (PHCC).

:

randomized controlled trial of two groups.

patients aged 20 years attended in 13 PHCC, identified by general practitioners and nurses with diagnosis of mid/moderate depression disorder (BDI scale) between December 2008 and April 2009.

The intervention group received a psycoeducational group program (12 weeks, two nurses). The program provided health education about the illness, pharmacological treatment, diet, physical exercise, problem solving, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

The control group received conventional care.

The evolution of patients is monitoring up to 1 year after the inclusion by an individual interview (baseline and 3, 6, 9 months).

The battery of assessment included: Sociodemographic, BDI and EuroQol-5D questionnaires.

241 patients (126 intervention Group (IG); 115 control Group (CG)), 217 women (53% IG and 47%CG) with a mean age of 54, 11 (SD=12,656). 92% Spanish. 45% married. Academic level: 76, 5 % study and 13,5% non-study.

The mean BDI in the baseline GI 21, 66 (SD=6,87) and CG 19.62(SD=6.85), follow up 3 months, GI 13,91(SD=8.22) and CG 17,07(SD=7,930). The mean of EuroQoL in the baseline IG 48, 29 (SD= 17,77) and CG 53,0 (SD= 19,06), follow up 3m, GI 56,57(SD=22,12) and CG 45,28(SD=23,74).

The two groups are comparable for all variables analyzed. There is an improvement in the IG versus CG on depressive symptoms and quality of life.