Trial results for an effectiveness and implementation study of electronic screening (eScreening) for mental health conditions, including Depression, were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-02-17. The study found that eScreening significantly increased the rates of screening for conditions like depression, PTSD, alcohol use, and suicide ideation, with odds ratios for increased screening rates reaching up to 1.45.
Background
Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation are prevalent and serious mental health concerns, particularly among Veterans transitioning from military service. Timely and efficient screening is critical for early detection and intervention, which can significantly improve patient outcomes. Traditional screening methods can be resource-intensive and may not always capture the full scope of mental and physical health needs. Electronic screening systems, such as the VA eScreening program, offer a promising approach for the efficient collection of patient self-report health information, warranting further research into their effectiveness and implementation impact within healthcare settings.
Trial design
This completed study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 72 participants to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of eScreening in post-9/11 transition programs. The conditions under investigation included Depression, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, and Suicide. The trial compared the impact of eScreening implementation and sustainment against "screening as usual" or pre-implementation periods, assessing its role in improving the rates of mental health and substance use screenings.
Key results
The study measured the rates of various screenings across different periods: "Screening As Usual/Pre-implementation," "eScreening Implementation," and "Sustainment."
- For PTSD screening, 724 participants were screened during the "Screening As Usual/Pre-implementation" period, increasing to 1408 during "eScreening Implementation," and 893 during "Sustainment."
- For Depression (PHQ-2) screening, 744 participants were screened during "Screening As Usual/Pre-implementation," rising to 1433 during "eScreening Implementation," and 905 during "Sustainment."
- For Alcohol (AUDIT) screening, 761 participants were screened during "Screening As Usual/Pre-implementation," increasing to 1494 during "eScreening Implementation," and 929 during "Sustainment."
- For Suicide (CSSRS) screening, 831 participants were screened during "Screening As Usual/Pre-implementation," rising to 1588 during "eScreening Implementation," and 989 during "Sustainment."
Logistic regression analyses indicated significant increases in screening rates during the eScreening implementation and sustainment phases compared to screening as usual, with a p-value of 0.001 for all reported analyses. The observed Odds Ratios (OR) and their 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were:
- OR of 1.24 (95% CI: 1.11 to 1.39)
- OR of 1.45 (95% CI: 1.29 to 1.64)
- OR of 1.22 (95% CI: 1.1 to 1.37)
- log OR of 1.42 (95% CI: 1.26 to 1.6)
- OR of 1.24 (95% CI: 1.12 to 1.39)
- log OR of 1.42 (95% CI: 1.26 to 1.6)
What this means
The results suggest that the implementation of eScreening significantly increases the rates of detection for critical mental health conditions like depression, PTSD, alcohol use, and suicidal ideation. The sustained higher screening rates indicate that eScreening can be an effective and lasting tool for improving mental health surveillance. For patients, this could translate to earlier identification of needs and more timely access to appropriate interventions, potentially leading to better health outcomes. For healthcare systems, eScreening offers an efficient method to scale up screening efforts.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT04506164, titled "Effectiveness and Implementation of eScreening in Post 9/11 Transition Programs," were posted on 2026-02-17 on clinicaltrials.gov.