Improving Treatment for Depression in General Practice Using a Step-by-Step Care Plan.

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare three different treatments for depression in patients with moderate depression in General Practice, aged 18-65 years. We wish to investigate the effect of the treatment approaches, and 171 patients will be included in the trial. The participants will be randomised to one of the following three treatments: 1. Standard treatment provided by a general practitioner (i.e. the general practitioner treats the patient as he/she would normally do, when treating a patient with depression). 2. Standard treatment provided by a psychologist in the form behavioural therapy (i.e. the psychologist treats the patient as he/she would normally do, when treating a patient with depression). 3. A step-by-step treatment plan carried out by a general practitioner. The plan includes pre-determined follow-ups and a pre-determined, structured plan for which medications to use and when to increase dose or switch medication. The hypothesis is that a structured and step-by-step treatment approach regarding patients with depression, treated in general practice, is more effective than standard treatment provided by a general practitioner and a psychologist. All the participants will: 1. Receive one of the three treatments for 12 weeks. 2. Have meetings with the project staff every 4 weeks (week 0, 4, 8 and 12) were rating scales will be completed, e.g. a rating scale to measure progress or deterioration in the participant's depression.

NCT Number	NCT07263321
Lead Sponsor	Aalborg University Hospital
Conditions	Depressive Disorder, Depression - Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorders, Depression, Depressive Episodes, Depressive Episode
Enrollment	171 participants
Start Date	2025-12
Primary Completion	2027-06 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-06 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-12-10