A Qualitative Exploration of Individuals Preferences, Expectations, Lived Experiences and Satisfaction with Treatment for Depression

Abstract

Depression is one of the most commonly occurring disorders that can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life and often leads to increased morbidity and mortality. This paper reviews the existing literature on the prevalence and impact of major depressive disorder. It explores the ongoing issues associated with help-seeking and examines factors that influence or impede individuals accessing help. Research about patient preferences, expectations and satisfaction with treatment for depression are reviewed in the context of both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Limitations of current research, including ongoing discrepancies across the literature, are presented, and recommendations for future research are discussed. In particular, the work concludes that there should be a greater focus on understanding individual perspectives and experiences in more naturalistic community settings, with less emphasis on the use of clinical trial data.