Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria for Included Studies
| Aspect Considered | Inclusion Criteria | Exclusion Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Primary health carea | Other settings |
| Population | Primary care population not depressed at baselineb | Primary care population depressed at baseline |
| Type of intervention | Psychological or educational interventionc | Pharmacological and physical interventions |
| Comparator | Care as usual, no intervention, waiting list, attention control, or placebo | Other controls |
| Design | RCT | Other designs |
| Outcome | Prevention of depression (incidence of depression or reduction of depressive symptoms) | Other outcomes |
| Language | All languages | No restrictions |
RCT = randomized controlled trial.
↵a All patients included in the RCTs must be recruited in primary care, health centers, or general practices.
↵b The entire spectrum of nondepressed patients included ranges from nondepressive symptoms (0 symptoms) to subthreshold forms of depression (eg, minor depression or subsyndromal depression).
↵c Educational interventions provide information about depression through lectures or fact sheets, whereas psychological interventions attempt to change how people think using a variety of different strategies (eg, cognitive behavioral or interpersonal therapy).