Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40123469›Full record

ReviewBJPsych open2025

Efficacy and safety of behavioural activation on depression in people with co-occurring non-communicable diseases: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Engida Yisma, Kuda Muyambi, Sandra Walsh, Shwikar Othman, Richard Gray, Kuan Liung Tan, Mary Steen, Martin Jones

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in BJPsych open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Engida YismaDepartment of Rural Health, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0703-1515
Kuda MuyambiDepartment of Rural Health, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0818-1312
Sandra WalshDepartment of Rural Health, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9702-652X
Shwikar OthmanUniSA Clinical & Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3283-9305
Richard GrayDepartment of Rural Health, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9694-4206
Kuan Liung TanUniSA Clinical & Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2237-0879
Mary SteenUniSA Clinical & Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0362-5693
Martin JonesDepartment of Rural Health, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6463-3574

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have a higher prevalence of comorbid depression than the general population. While previous research has shown that behavioural activation is effective for general depression, its efficacy and safety in treating depression associated with NCDs remains unclear.

aimsTo compare the efficacy and safety of behavioural activation against comparators in reducing depression symptoms in people with NCDs.

methodWe searched six databases from inception until 30 March 2023 (updated 23 September 2024) for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing behavioural activation with comparators for depression in people with NCDs. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's 'risk-of-bias 2 tool'. We calculated a random-effects, inverse-variance weighting meta-analysis.

resultsOf the 21 386 initial studies, 12 RCTs (with 2144 patients) comparing behavioural activation with any comparator on treatment outcomes for depression with comorbid NCD met the inclusion criteria. Six studies rated as low risk of bias. For short-term follow-ups (up to 6 months), meta-analysis showed behavioural activation had little effect on depression symptom improvement in people with NCDs (Hedges'

conclusionsEvidence from this systematic review is not sufficient to draw clear conclusions about the efficacy and safety of behavioural activation for reducing depression symptoms in people with NCDs. Future reviews need to include more high-quality, well-designed RCTs to better understand the potential benefits of behavioural activation for comorbid depression.

Indexed as

Behavioural activationdepressioneffectivenessmeta-analysisnon-communicable diseases

Identifiers

PMID40123469
PMCPMC12021889

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.