Improving antidepressant adherence in primary care patients
Official title: Antidepressant Medication Adherence in Adults With Depression
Run by University of Pennsylvania · NCT06496646 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing whether sending personalized daily text messages, with or without cash rewards, can help people with depression stick to their antidepressant medication better than regular care.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 21 Years to 64 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 525 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Pennsylvania Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 19, 2025 |
| Main results expected | March 31, 2029 |
| Study ends | March 31, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | November 26, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06496646 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults aged 21 to 64 with a clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder who are newly prescribed antidepressants.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with a history of treatment for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, or those with active substance use disorders may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial aims to compare different strategies for supporting medication adherence among primary care patients diagnosed with depression who have recently been prescribed antidepressants. The study will evaluate the effectiveness of personalized daily text messages, with and without financial incentives, against standard care in improving adherence and reducing depression symptoms. Adherence will be monitored using a wireless pill bottle and participants will report their depression symptoms via telephone assessments at 6 and 12 weeks. The primary outcome will be measured using the PHQ-9 depression rating scale.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance medication adherence and improve depression symptoms for patients in primary care settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that text message reminders can improve medication adherence, suggesting potential success for this approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Penn Medicine primary care outpatients * Clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder * A score of 10+ on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) * Age 21 to 64 years at the time of study entry * Prescribed an antidepressant by their primary care clinician * Express interest in taking antidepressant medication * Own a cell phone * Capable of using the electronic pill bottle * English-speaking Exclusion Criteria: * Treated with antidepressants in the past 90 days * Pregnant or breastfeeding * An active substance use disorder other than nicotine * A lifetime history of treatment for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia * Hospital admission or emergency department visit for suicidal symptoms in the past year * Lack capacity to provide informed consent * Using antidepressant more than 10 days at baseline assessment
Where it's running
-
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Steven C Marcus, PhD
- Email: marcuss@upenn.edu
- Phone: 215-573-7941
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Smartphone-supported single-session psychotherapy for postpartum depression
A single online therapy session plus four weeks of app-based support is being tested to see if it reduces depressive symptoms in postpartum women compared with a waitlist.
-
Mindful Smartphone Use: A Mindfulness-Based Program for Teens with Sleep and Mood Challenges
This study tests Mindwire, a mindfulness-based program, to see if it helps teens with problematic phone use who also have depression or anxiety.
-
Tele-based wellbeing centres for women's mental health in Bangladesh
A randomized trial tests whether tele-counselling for depression and anxiety in Bangladeshi women is as effective as in-person counselling.
-
Remote monitoring for adults with depression using ThIA Suivi
This study tests whether adding the ThIA Suivi remote monitoring tool to usual psychiatric care helps adults with depression feel more improved after 3 months compared with standard care alone.
-
HBOT to see if it helps cognition and well‑being in first responders with prior brain injury
This study tests whether 40 hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions can improve thinking skills and post-concussion symptoms in current or former first responders with a history of brain injury.
-
Focused ultrasound for mood and anxiety disorders
This study tests whether repeated low-intensity focused ultrasound using the ATTN201 device can help people with subsyndromal to moderate depression, anxiety, or OCD.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.