title: Depression in general practice.
abstract: The nature and course of depressive disorders in a group of general practice patients were assessed by screening 564 subjects who attended representative practices in Sydney by means of a self-report depression inventory. Of these, 25% of women and 17% of men reported significant depressive symptoms. An interview was sought with these "potential depressives" to determine, in particular, the extent to which they might be considered to have a psychiatric disorder, using the PSE case-finding procedure. Of those interviewed, 83% scored as psychiatric "cases", while the mean duration of their depression was nine months. A longitudinal component to the study suggested that the mental condition of the sample had improved minimally at six weeks' and at 20 weeks' follow-up assessments.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D013997:Time Factors