Table 3 Mental health and QoL outcomes by RCT

predictD Intervention

(Bellon et al. 2016 [21]; Moreno-Peral et al. 2021 [20]

New cases of depression (%; 95%CI)

18m

7.39 (5.85 to 8.95)

1663

9.40 (7.89 to 10.92)

1663

-2.01 (-4.18 to 0.16)

0.070

New cases of anxiety (%; 95%CI)

10.4 (8.7 to 12.1)

1484

13.1 (11.4 to 14.8)

1514

–2.7 (–5.1 to 0.3)

0.029

Feedback/ + Counselling

(Brody et al. 1990) [29]

Changes in patient attitude about stress (mean, SE)

Amount of stress

Post consultation

3.8 (0.1)^a / 3.6 (0.2)^b

29^a /24^b

3.2 (0.1)

50

0.003

Control over stress

3.7(0.1)^a/ 3.6 (0.2)^b

3.1 (0.1)

0.01

Seriousness of stress

3.5 (0.1)^a / 3.4 (0.2)^b

3.2 (0.1)

ns

Problem-solving – Primary Care

(Lam et al. 2010) [26]

Change in anxiety (95%CI)

12m (6wks; 3m; 6m)

-1.17 (-1.84 to -0.51)

149

-1.58 (-2.09 to -1.07)

150

0.41 (-0.14 to 0.96)

0.146

Change in depression (95%CI)

1.13 (0.39 to 1.88)

1.4 (0.67 to 2.13)

0.01 (-0.71 to 0.74)

0.972

Change in quality of life (95%CI)

Physical functioning

12m

-2.32 (-4.84,0.21)

-1.9 (-4.31,0.52)

-1.52 (-4.08, 1.03)

0.243

Role Physical

2.35 (-4.56,9.26)

6.17 (-1.15,13.48)

-1.36 (-7.90, 5.19)

0.685

Bodily Pain

-1.11 (-5.7,3.47)

7.37 (2.9,11.83)

-5.21 (-9.43, 0.99)

0.016

General Health

2.46 (-1.46,6.38)

2.35 (-1.47,6.18)

-1.90 (-5.87, 2.07)

0.348

Vitality

-2.18 (-6.05,1.69)

-0.9 (-4.45,2.65)

-2.00 (-5.72, 1.71)

0.291

Social Functioning

-1.76 (-6.62,3.09)

2.67 (-1.76,7.09)

-4.21 (-8.26, -0.51)

0.043

Role Emotional

3.13 (-4.88,11.14)

10.89 (3.97,17.81)

-9.95 (-17.5, -2.39)

0.010

Mental Health

0.86 (-2.31,4.03)

-0.4 (-3.31,2.51)

-0.60 (-3.68, 2.47)

0.701

Physical Component

-0.54 (2.18,1.09)

0.8 (-0.96,2.56)

-1.48 (-3.25, 0.30)

0.103

Mental Component

0.74 (-1.26 to 2.74)

1.07 (-0.7 to 2.84)

-0.51 (-2.36 to 1.35)

0.592

Ultra-Brief Intervention

(Mathieson et al. 2019) [23]

Improvement in psychological distress (mean, 95%CI)

6m (8wks; 3m)

5.9 (4.0 to 7.8)

70

7.6 (5.5 to 9.6)

69

1.68 (− 1.18 to 4.55)

0.255

Improvement anxiety& depression (mean, 95%CI)

5.2 (3.5 to 6.9)

7.0 (5.3 to 8.7)

1.85 (− 0.62 to 4.31)

0.149

Veteran Peer Coaches

(Seal et al. 2021) [37]

Mental health symptoms (mean, SD)

PTSD

16wks

25.1 (18.4)

137^c

29.7 (16.7)

135^c

0.03

Depression

9.4 (6.2)

11.1 (6.5)

0.01

Anxiety

1.2 (0.9)

1.3 (0.8)

0.19

Panic disorder

0.6(0.9)

0.7 (0.9)

0.21

Alcohol and illicit substance use (mean, SD)

Tobacco

16wks

8.8 (9.5)

9.2 (10.0)

0.73

Alcohol

7.1 (7.7)

7.7 (8.6)

0.46

Cannabis […]

3.1 (4.8)

4.6 (6.7)

0.01

Quality of life (mean, SD)

Physical health

16wks

12.6 (3.7)

12.0 (3.1)

0.06

Psychological health

13.4 (2.8)

12.7 (2.5)

0.004

Social relationships

13.3 (3.9)

12.1 (3.8)

0.003

Environment

14.4 (2.5)

13.6 (2.6)

0.004