MenDis-CHD II

Quality of care in diagnosis and therapy of psychological and cognitive comorbidity in coronary heart disease: A prospective, multi-method longitudinal study to assess the healthcare situation in Cologne and develop a general practitioner-based intervention

The design of the intervention will be based on a follow-up study of the MenDis-CHD-I cohort and qualitative interviews with general practitioners. Cross-sectional results from the previous MenDis-CHD-I study indicate that guidelines for the treatment of patients with CHD and mental/cognitive comorbid disorder are not sufficiently implemented. Unrecognised and untreated comorbid mental/cognitive disorders in patients with CHD have a negative impact on health outcomes. General practitioners have been identified in MenDis-CHD I as crucial for the coordination of health care in this patient population.

Duration of the project: 05/2020 – 04/2023
Project funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Follow-up study to improve the diagnosis and treatment of mental and cognitive disorders in patients with CHD.

(A) Follow-up examination of CHD patients who have participated in MenDis-CHD I

(B) Qualitative interviews with general practitioner, patients and patient representatives to collect experiences, attitudes and expectations regarding the development of a general practitioner-based intervention to improve the care of patients with CHD and mental/ cognitive disorders

(C) The results of sub-projects A and B will be used to design a pilot intervention for general practitioners to be evaluated in sub-project C:
In subproject C it is planned that before and after the pilot intervention (part B), data on the care of CHD patients in general practitioners’ practices will be collected to make the influence of the intervention measurable. Specifically, general practitioners will be trained to set a “trigger question” and will be informed about the diagnosis and treatment of comorbid mental comorbidity and cognitive impairment using information materials and guidelines. In addition, the OrgValue sub-project will examine the costs and possible difficulties of implementing such an intervention. For this purpose, an economic analysis of the care situation will be carried out and the influence of organisational (i.e. structural and process-related) characteristics of general practitioners’ practices on the implementation of the intervention will be analysed.

Prof. Dr. Christian Albus (Speaker)
(Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne)

Prof. Dr. Frank Jessen (Speaker)
(Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Cologne)

Prof. Dr. Holger Pfaff
(Center for Health Services Research Cologne, University of Cologne)

Prof. Dr. Frank Schulz-Nieswandt
(Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology, University of Cologne)

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News in MenDis-CHD II
MenDis-CHD I