Improving health centre physicians' child-psychiatric networks.
OBJECTIVE
To study changes in Finnish GPs' child-psychiatric networks over a one-year period.


METHODS
Postal questionnaire.


METHODS
Health centres in the area of Tampere University Hospital with a catchment population of one million.


METHODS
A one-off course in the field of child psychiatry was held 56 times in different health centres.


METHODS
GPs (n = 761) working in the area received a questionnaire in 2000 and 2001. Those responding in both years were included in the analysis (n = 371).


METHODS
A fill-in picture was used to identify professionals in the network of each GP. Three levels were analysed: (1) health centre, (2) municipality, and (3) secondary healthcare.


RESULTS
The number of collaborators increased significantly only in the training group at municipality level. No statistically significant differences were found in proportions of GPs naming cooperating persons.


CONCLUSIONS
The impact of a one-off training programme on the scope of GPs' child-psychiatric networks was not very strong but was in accordance with the aims of the programme.
Heikkinen
Anneli
A
Department of General Practice, University of Tampere, Finland. anneli.heikkinen@uta.fi
Puura
Kaija
K
Mattila
Karp
K
D002648:Child; D002665:Child Psychiatry / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000592:standards; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires