Outcomes for treatment for anxiety and depression
Published
Last updated 3 April 2020 - see all updates
There is a new version of this page. View the latest version.
1. Main facts and figures
- in every ethnic group, over 60% of patients showed an improvement after treatment for anxiety or depression in 2018 to 2019
- the highest percentage of patients showing an improvement was in the White British ethnic group at 68.1%
- the lowest percentage of patients showing an improvement was in the Bangladeshi ethnic group at 60.8%
- in most ethnic groups, women were more likely to have shown an improvement than men
- between 2015/16 and 2018/19, the percentage of patients showing an improvement increased in every ethnic group
- the biggest increase in patients showing an improvement was in the Pakistani ethnic group
Things you need to know
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is mainly for adults. A small number of patients under 18 years old are also referred for treatment.
IAPT service providers submit data every month to NHS Digital. This includes information about patients' ethnicity.
This analysis only includes patients whose ethnicity was known. The percentage of patients whose ethnicity was known has gone up from around 80% in 2015 to 88% in 2019.
Data is shown for the whole of England. Download the data for local data broken down by clinical commissioning groups. Some local data has been suppressed if a small number of patients made it unreliable.
The definition for ‘no reliable change’ has been revised since the first version of this measure page. The new methodology separates out patient referrals which showed no reliable change from those where it wasn’t possible to assess change due to missing data. All data presented here is now based on the new methodology.
What the data measures
This data shows outcomes for patients who've had treatment for anxiety or depression. The data covers referrals through NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services.
The data is broken down by ethnicity, gender and time. Download the data to see figures showing the change over time for different ethnic groups by gender.
Patients are assessed after treatment and recorded as showing either:
- improvement
- no change
- deterioration
Patients complete a questionnaire before, during and after their treatment. Their responses are used to assess the outcome of their treatment.
The percentage of referrals with an unknown outcome is not shown. For that reason, not all percentages for the 3 outcomes add up to 100%.
To be included in this data, a patient's referral must have ended in the financial year covered. For example, data for 2018 to 2019 includes referrals that ended between April 2018 and March 2019. The patient must have attended at least 2 appointments in the course of the referral.
The ethnic categories used in this data
The 16 ethnic categories used in this data are those listed in the 2001 Census. The categories are broadly the same as the ethnic groups used in the 2011 Census, except that:
- the 2001 Census categorised Chinese people within ‘Other ethnic group’
- the 2001 Census did not list Gypsy and Irish Travellers or Arab people
2. By ethnicity
Ethnicity | Reliably improved | No Reliable Change | Reliably deteriorated |
---|---|---|---|
% | % | % | |
Asian | 63.9 | 27.5 | 7.5 |
Bangladeshi | 60.8 | 28.2 | 8.8 |
Indian | 66.4 | 26.0 | 6.8 |
Pakistani | 63.0 | 28.3 | 7.7 |
Asian other | 62.0 | 28.7 | 8.1 |
Black | 66.2 | 25.6 | 7.0 |
Black African | 66.2 | 25.3 | 7.1 |
Black Caribbean | 66.4 | 25.7 | 7.0 |
Black other | 65.7 | 26.0 | 6.9 |
Mixed | 64.7 | 27.6 | 6.7 |
Mixed White/Asian | 63.4 | 29.2 | 6.3 |
Mixed White/Black African | 65.6 | 27.2 | 6.7 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 64.7 | 27.4 | 7.0 |
Mixed other | 65.1 | 27.1 | 6.7 |
White | 68.0 | 25.4 | 5.5 |
White British | 68.1 | 25.4 | 5.5 |
White Irish | 65.5 | 27.2 | 6.4 |
White other | 66.9 | 26.0 | 6.0 |
Other including Chinese | 64.0 | 27.5 | 7.4 |
Chinese | 66.5 | 26.5 | 6.0 |
Any other | 63.4 | 27.7 | 7.6 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity’ (CSV)
Summary of Outcomes for treatment for anxiety and depression By ethnicity Summary
This data shows that:
- 68.0% of White patients showed an improvement after therapy, the highest percentage out of the 5 aggregated ethnic groups
- patients from the Asian (63.9%) and Other (64.0%) ethnic groups were the least likely to show an improvement out of the same 5 groups
- out of all 16 ethnic groups, White British (68.1%) and White Other (66.9%) patients were the most likely to have improved
- Bangladeshi (60.8%), Asian Other (62.0%) and Pakistani (63.0%) patients were the least likely to have improved
- 8.8% of Bangladeshi patients deteriorated, the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups
- the patients least likely to have deteriorated were from the White British (5.5%), White Other and Chinese (both 6.0%) ethnic groups
- Mixed White and Asian patients were the most likely to show no change (29.2%)
- the least likely to show no change were Black African (25.3%) and White British (25.4%) patients
3. By ethnicity over time
Reliably improved (%) | No Reliable Change (%) | Reliably deteriorated (%) | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Reliably improved (%) 2015/16 | Reliably improved (%) 2016/17 | Reliably improved (%) 2017/18 | Reliably improved (%) 2018/19 | No Reliable Change (%) 2015/16 | No Reliable Change (%) 2016/17 | No Reliable Change (%) 2017/18 | No Reliable Change (%) 2018/19 | Reliably deteriorated (%) 2015/16 | Reliably deteriorated (%) 2016/17 | Reliably deteriorated (%) 2017/18 | Reliably deteriorated (%) 2018/19 |
Asian | 56.7 | 61.1 | 62.7 | 63.9 | 31.7 | 29.6 | 28.4 | 27.5 | 8.4 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
Bangladeshi | 53.9 | 58.9 | 61.7 | 60.8 | 32.0 | 29.7 | 28.1 | 28.2 | 10.7 | 10.1 | 8.6 | 8.8 |
Indian | 59.2 | 64.0 | 65.3 | 66.4 | 30.7 | 28.1 | 27.1 | 26.0 | 7.4 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 6.8 |
Pakistani | 54.9 | 59.1 | 61.3 | 63.0 | 32.5 | 30.8 | 29.1 | 28.3 | 9.1 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 7.7 |
Asian other | 55.2 | 59.1 | 60.4 | 62.0 | 32.3 | 30.8 | 30.0 | 28.7 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
Black | 59.8 | 62.5 | 63.9 | 66.2 | 29.4 | 28.7 | 27.3 | 25.6 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.0 |
Black African | 58.8 | 61.7 | 63.1 | 66.2 | 29.6 | 28.9 | 27.9 | 25.3 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 7.1 |
Black Caribbean | 60.8 | 63.3 | 64.5 | 66.4 | 29.1 | 28.5 | 26.9 | 25.7 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 7.0 |
Black other | 58.6 | 61.8 | 64.2 | 65.7 | 30.0 | 29.2 | 27.1 | 26.0 | 8.7 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 6.9 |
Mixed | 58.6 | 62.4 | 63.2 | 64.7 | 30.9 | 29.1 | 28.3 | 27.6 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 6.7 |
Mixed White/Asian | 58.2 | 63.5 | 62.7 | 63.4 | 31.5 | 28.8 | 28.8 | 29.2 | 7.4 | 6.0 | 7.2 | 6.3 |
Mixed White/Black African | 60.8 | 61.0 | 64.1 | 65.6 | 28.4 | 30.5 | 26.8 | 27.2 | 7.8 | 6.5 | 7.9 | 6.7 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 58.8 | 61.5 | 63.7 | 64.7 | 31.2 | 30.2 | 27.9 | 27.4 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 7.0 |
Mixed other | 58.0 | 62.9 | 62.8 | 65.1 | 30.9 | 27.9 | 28.7 | 27.1 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.7 |
White | 63.5 | 66.0 | 67.2 | 68.0 | 28.3 | 26.9 | 26.2 | 25.4 | 6.0 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.5 |
White British | 63.6 | 66.1 | 67.3 | 68.1 | 28.2 | 26.9 | 26.2 | 25.4 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.5 |
White Irish | 63.8 | 65.2 | 65.8 | 65.5 | 27.6 | 26.9 | 26.7 | 27.2 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.4 |
White other | 61.9 | 63.7 | 65.6 | 66.9 | 28.8 | 28.2 | 27.0 | 26.0 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.3 | 6.0 |
Other including Chinese | 56.4 | 59.0 | 61.7 | 64.0 | 30.8 | 30.5 | 28.8 | 27.5 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 7.4 |
Chinese | 60.6 | 64.5 | 65.4 | 66.5 | 29.4 | 26.9 | 27.7 | 26.5 | 6.6 | 7.4 | 5.9 | 6.0 |
Any other | 55.7 | 57.9 | 61.0 | 63.4 | 31.1 | 31.2 | 29.0 | 27.7 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 8.4 | 7.6 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity over time’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity over time’ (CSV)
Summary of Outcomes for treatment for anxiety and depression By ethnicity over time Summary
This data shows that, between 2015/16 and 2018/19:
- the percentage of patients who improved after therapy increased in every ethnic group
- out of all 16 ethnic groups, the biggest increase in patients showing an improvement was in the Pakistani ethnic group, from 54.9% to 63.0%
- the smallest increase was in the White Irish ethnic group, from 63.8% to 65.5%
- out of the 5 aggregated ethnic groups, the biggest increase in patients improving was among Asian patients, from 56.7% to 63.9%
- the smallest increase was among White patients, from 63.5% to 68.0%
- the gap between White and Asian patients in the percentage showing an improvement went down from 6.8 to 4.1 percentage points
- the gap between White patients and those from the Other ethnic group in the percentage showing an improvement went down from 7.1 to 4.0 percentage points
4. By ethnicity and gender
Reliably improved | No Reliable Change | Reliably deteriorated | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ethnicity | Reliably improved Men (%) | Reliably improved Women (%) | No Reliable Change Men (%) | No Reliable Change Women (%) | Reliably deteriorated Men (%) | Reliably deteriorated Women (%) |
Asian | 62.8 | 64.5 | 28.3 | 27.1 | 7.8 | 7.4 |
Bangladeshi | 56.6 | 63.4 | 30.4 | 27.0 | 10.1 | 8.0 |
Indian | 66.5 | 66.4 | 26.2 | 25.9 | 6.6 | 6.8 |
Pakistani | 63.0 | 63.0 | 28.1 | 28.4 | 7.9 | 7.6 |
Asian other | 59.0 | 63.6 | 31.1 | 27.4 | 8.5 | 7.8 |
Black | 64.6 | 66.9 | 27.2 | 25.0 | 6.9 | 7.0 |
Black African | 64.6 | 66.9 | 27.2 | 24.5 | 6.7 | 7.2 |
Black Caribbean | 65.0 | 67.0 | 26.5 | 25.3 | 7.4 | 6.8 |
Black other | 63.4 | 66.6 | 28.9 | 24.8 | 6.2 | 7.2 |
Mixed | 63.9 | 65.1 | 28.0 | 27.4 | 6.8 | 6.7 |
Mixed White/Asian | 64.2 | 63.1 | 27.6 | 29.9 | 7.3 | 5.9 |
Mixed White/Black African | 61.4 | 67.4 | 30.3 | 25.9 | 8.0 | 6.1 |
Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 63.7 | 65.1 | 28.5 | 27.0 | 6.2 | 7.3 |
Mixed other | 64.5 | 65.4 | 27.2 | 27.0 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
White | 67.3 | 68.4 | 26.0 | 25.1 | 5.5 | 5.6 |
White British | 67.5 | 68.5 | 25.9 | 25.1 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
White Irish | 65.3 | 65.7 | 27.6 | 26.9 | 6.1 | 6.7 |
White other | 65.0 | 67.5 | 27.5 | 25.5 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
Other including Chinese | 63.8 | 64.1 | 27.6 | 27.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 |
Chinese | 71.5 | 64.8 | 22.6 | 27.9 | 5.1 | 6.3 |
Any other | 62.5 | 63.9 | 28.4 | 27.3 | 7.7 | 7.6 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and gender’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and gender’ (CSV)
Summary of Outcomes for treatment for anxiety and depression By ethnicity and gender Summary
This data shows that:
- in most ethnic groups, women were more likely than men to show an improvement after therapy
- the exceptions were the Indian, Mixed White and Asian, and Chinese ethnic groups
- among women, patients from the White British (68.5%) ethnic group were the most likely out of all ethnic groups to have improved after therapy
- women from the Bangladeshi (8.0%) and Asian Other (7.8%) ethnic groups were the most likely to have deteriorated
- among men, patients from the Chinese (71.5%) ethnic group were most likely to have improved after therapy
- men from the Bangladeshi (10.1%) and Asian Other (8.5%) ethnic groups were the most likely to have deteriorated
5. Methodology
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service providers submit data every month.
Every patient completes a Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).
They also complete either:
- a Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD7) questionnaire
- an Anxiety Disorder Specific Measure (ADSM)
Patients complete the relevant ADSM during treatment if they have:
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
- generalised anxiety disorder
- social phobia
- health anxiety
- agoraphobia
- panic disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder
If they're not being treated for one of these conditions, they complete the GAD-7 questionnaire. They also use the GAD-7 to measure changes during treatment if they haven't completed at least 2 ADSMs.
The patient’s first and last scores are compared for both the PHQ-9 and the relevant anxiety questionnaire.
A patient has shown 'reliable improvement' if there is both:
- a reliable decrease in one or both of the scores
- no reliable increase in either of them
A reliable change is at least the following number of points:
- PHQ-9: 6 points
- GAD-7: 4 points
- Agoraphobia Mobility Inventory: 0.73 points
- Social Phobia Inventory: 10 points
- Panic Disorder Severity Scale: no agreed threshold, so GAD-7 is used
- Obsessive Compulsive Inventory: 32 points
- Impact of Events Scale: 9 points
- Health Anxiety Inventory (Short Week): 4 points
Suppression rules and disclosure control
Figures based on fewer than 5 patients are not shown here. This is to make sure individual patients can’t be identified.
Rounding
Totals for clinical commissioning groups are rounded to the nearest 5.
Percentages are based on unrounded numbers. They are rounded to:
- 1 decimal point in figures for the whole of England
- whole numbers in figures for clinical commissioning groups
Related publications
Adult improving access to psychological therapies programme.
Quality and methodology information
6. Data sources
Source
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) dataset
Type of data
Administrative data
Type of statistic
Official statistics
Publisher
NHS England
Publication frequency
Yearly
Purpose of data source
The data is used to monitor and improve the provision of talking therapies services for the treatment of people with anxiety, depression or both.
7. Download the data
This file contains the following: Measure, Time, Time_type, Geography, Geography_type, Ethnicity_type, Ethnicity, Outcome, Outcome_type, Gender, Gender_type, Value, Value_type, Denominator, Numerator