Reducing Disparities in Late Life Depression and Metabolic Syndrome

Linkages between depression and cardiovascular disease have been well documented. These appear to be more than associations, and may reflect causal relationships through a number of proposed pathways, including decreased physical activity, poor dietary habits, medication non-adherence, and a direct impact on inflammatory mediators. Older adults are affected by both depression and heart disease, with increased risk in African American and Latino elderly. The BRIGHTEN-Heart trial tests the hypothesis that an enhanced primary care delivery system intervention which provides evidence-based, patient-centered mental health services targeting depression and cardiovascular risk factors can reduce the risk of development of cardiovascular disease in low-income elderly blacks and Hispanics. BRIGHTEN stands for Bridging Resources of a Geriatric Health Team via Electronic Networking, and in this intervention, specialty providers including geropsychologists, social workers, pharmacists, nutritionists, chaplains, occupational therapists, and others collaborate via the internet as a virtual team. The study will determine if such a virtual interdisciplinary clinical team collaboration can reduce depression in older (age ≥ 65) minority adults with comorbid depression and metabolic syndrome.