Effects of Continuous Care Model on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Iranian Elderly in Shiraz.

The study used convenience sampling and included 50 participants at one elderly day-care centre, so the results may not apply to other older adults. The design was quasi-experimental, and groups were formed from clusters assigned to intervention or control, so selection and assignment may have affected the results. Stress scores differed between groups before the intervention (P=0.007), although depression and anxiety did not. Depression, anxiety and stress were measured by a self-report questionnaire, which the authors say may be less accurate than clinical examination, interview or blood parameters. The intervention included orientation, education, group discussion, individual sessions, counselling and telephone follow-up, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated. The final evaluation was two months after the intervention, so longer-term effects were not assessed.

Do not conclude that the continuous care model alone caused lower depression, anxiety and stress scores. The study used convenience sampling at one centre, had a baseline stress difference between groups, and delivered education, counselling, telephone follow-up and group sessions together, so the effect of any single component cannot be separated.