Scott Adams, PsyD

WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research

Phone: 303.541.0257
E-mail: sadams@wiche.edu

Completed Projects

Differences In Antipsychotic Medication Prescribing Patterns Between Rural And Urban Prescribers, Lead researcher
Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Mental health, Pharmacy and prescription drugs
Second-generation antipsychotics have become the treatment of choice for persons with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses. Compared to first generation antipsychotics, many second generation medications reduce symptoms with fewer problematic side-effects and related major health problems. However, one aspect that has seen little empirical attention is how longitudinal trends, benefits, and costs may differ between urban and rural areas.

Differences in Prescribing Patterns of Psychotropic Medication for Children and Adolescents between Rural and Urban Prescribers
Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Mental health, Pharmacy and prescription drugs
This is an investigation of the extent to which psychotropic medication is prescribed to youth (17 and under) by primary care physicians, psychiatrists, or other prescribers in rural versus urban areas. It will also look at the particular types of medications being prescribed by age, sex, and other demographic variables.

Webcast: What Rural Primary Care Physicians Need to Know about Treating Patients with Mental Health Diagnoses, Lead researcher
Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Frontier health, Mental health, Physicians, Technology
Training via distance learning technology that promotes collaborative care models in primary care is consistent with federal and state policy recommendations.

Publications

• Differential Effectiveness of Depression Disease Management for Rural and Urban Primary Care Patients
  Author(s): Scott J. Adams, Stanley Xu, Fran Dong, John Fortney, Kathryn Rost
  Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
  Topic: Mental health
  Date: 09 / 2005
  Examined whether or not there is a differential impact of enhanced depression care on patient outcomes in rural versus urban primary care settings and whether differences any are mediated by receiving evidence-based care (pharmacotherapy and specialty care counseling). Findings indicate that enhanced care for depression improved mental health status over 18 months for urban primary care populations, but not rural patients. Full report available on request.
• Differential Effectiveness of Enhanced Depression Treatment for Rural and Urban Primary Care Patients
  Author(s): Scott J. Adams, Stanley Xu, Fran Dong, John Fortney, Kathryn Rost
  Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
  Topic: Mental health
  Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 22(4), 343-350
  Date: 2006
  Reports the results of a study that explored whether a depression disease management program has a comparable impact on clinical outcomes over 2 years in patients treated in rural and urban primary care practices and whether the impact is mediated by receiving evidence-based care (antidepressant medication and specialty care counseling). The study found that depression disease management improved the mental health status of urban patients over 18 months but not rural patients. Effects were not mediated by antidepressant medication or specialty care counseling in urban or rural patients.
• Mental Health and Rural America: 1994-2005
  Author(s): Dennis Mohatt, Scott J. Adams, Mimi M. Bradley, Chad A. Morris
  Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
  Topic: Mental health
  Date: 2006
  Provides a summary of the current knowledge base surrounding mental health issues in America's rural and frontier areas and an overview of the environment of mental health in rural areas over three decades. Includes an annotated bibliography.
• Preventing Hospitalization in Depressed Rural Patients
  Author(s): Scott J. Adams, Stanley Xu, Fran Dong , Kathryn Rost
  Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
  Topic: Mental health
  Date: 09 / 2005
  The purpose of this research was to investigate the substitution of higher cost hospitalization for lower cost outpatient specialty care for depression and the extent to which insurance barriers impact service substitution patterns of outpatient specialty care for depression in rural and urban areas. The study found that depressed rural patients were hospitalized more than their urban counterparts over two years, with statistically greater hospitalization rates at 6 months and statistically greater length of stays at 12 months. These differential hospitalization rates/lengths were not explained by previous outpatient specialty care treatment, which was comparable for rural and urban patients. Insurance barriers predict reduced use of specialty care in depressed urban patients, but not in depressed rural patients. Full report available on request.
• Role of Social Support and Stressful Life Events in the Effectiveness of Collaborative Care for Depression: A Rural-Urban Comparison
  Author(s): K. Albright, John C. Fortney, Scott J. Adams, Stanley Xu, F. Dong
  Research center: WICHE Center for Rural Mental Health Research
  Topic: Mental health
  Date: 2005