title: Screening for psychiatric disorder in general practice.
abstract: The extent of psychiatric morbidity was investigated in a consecutive series of patients attending a south London general practitioner. The GP identified a psychiatric component in the reason for consultation in 40% of the sample, and he regarded 24% as 'psychiatric cases'. The estimated true prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in the sample was 34%. These data are used as the basis for a theoretical discussion of prescriptive screening strategies for psychiatric disorder in general practice.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013223:Statistics as Topic