Caring for depressed patients in rural communities: general practitioners' attitudes, needs and relationships with mental health services.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the needs and practices of rural GPs and their relationships with local acute mental health services, particularly in the provision of care to depressed patients.


METHODS
Postal survey.


METHODS
Rural general practices.


METHODS
Ninety-nine GPs (63 males, 36 females) from the Hunter Valley region of NSW, Australia.


METHODS
GPs' self-reported contact rates, confidence, needs and beliefs.


RESULTS
Depression was the most commonly seen mental disorder, with an average of 1.44 patients per GP per month referred to local acute mental health services, most commonly for suicidality. The preferred form of feedback after the referral of a depressed patient was a follow-up letter, while the most requested type of patient management support was cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) groups. GPs were most confident in recognising depression, compared to other mental disorders except anxiety, and they were most confident in treating depression, compared to all other mental disorders. The most common barrier to providing care for depressed patients was reported to be 'time constraints' on GPs.


CONCLUSIONS
The challenge for mental health services is to develop ways to collaborate more effectively with GPs in the provision of psychological services for depressed patients in rural communities.
Wright
Megan J
MJ
Hunter New England Mental Health and the Centre for Mental Health Studies, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. megan.wright@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Harmon
Karen D
KD
Bowman
Jennifer A
JA
Lewin
Terry J
TJ
Carr
Vaughan J
VJ
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009517:New South Wales; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*