title: Treatment of major depressive disorder in primary care in Rome, Italy.
abstract: This study describes the treatments that 253 patients affected by major depressive disorder, according to DSM-III-R criteria, received by their general practitioner prior to their referral to the outpatients clinic of the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Rome "La Sapienza". Out of 253 study subjects only 97 had received prescriptions of antidepressant drugs. In about 50% of these cases (corresponding to 27.4% of the study population) prescribed dosages were inadequate. In 34.7% of subjects who sought medical help antidepressants were not prescribed and other psychotropic drugs (mostly benzodiazepines) or pseudodrugs were used. In 6% of cases no treatment was prescribed. Over one third of the outpatients had been ill for over one year prior to their referral to a psychiatrist. Remedial actions are considered.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Psichiatria, Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Di Giuseppe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fassone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrigno
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazzotti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasquini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pasquini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents