Here’s yet another example of patients not receiving the care they need.
The details: A recent Brown University study (see study abstract here if you’re not registered with Medscape) followed 293 adults with OCD over a three year period, observing whether they received recommended doses of treatment, and how much they improved. 182 of the patients took recommended doses of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), and although 62% rated themselves as being much improved (on a self-report measure called the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale-patient version), 70 of them (more than a third) showed minimal or no improvement, or even got worse.
The other 111 patients in the study received the recommended 13 sessions of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), but only 24% of them had a continuous course of treatment over consecutive weeks. 67% of those who received the recommended, consecutive course of CBT treatment rated themselves as improved. Results indicate that a continuous course of medication for OCD may not be effective for all patients, and that relatively few patients are receiving the recommended course of treatment for CBT.