Psychotherapy by primary-care providers: results of a national sample.
The authors used the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to examine visit characteristics associated with psychotherapy by primary-care physicians, as compared with psychiatrists. Chi-square tests and hierarchical logistic-regression models were developed to examine visit characteristics associated with receiving psychotherapy by primary-care physicians versus psychiatrists. Over 19% of all psychotherapy visits were reported by primary-care physicians. Visits to primary-care physicians, versus visits to psychiatrists, were significantly greater among those over age 65, in Hispanic patients, and those in rural areas. Primary-care physicians are reporting that they provide psychotherapy and may be filling a void for underserved populations.
Himelhoch
Seth
S
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Services Research, 737 Lombard St., Room 516, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. shimelho@psych.umaryland.edu
Ehrenreich
Mark
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology