title: Survey of characteristics and treatment preferences for physicians treating postpartum depression in the general medical setting.
abstract: This research examines the relationship between the characteristics of physicians who routinely provide medical care for postpartum mothers and their treatment preferences for managing postpartum depression (PPD) by means of a self-administered postal survey. A survey was sent to a random sample of 600 obstetricians/gynecologists and 600 family practitioners in North Carolina. The overall response rate was 42%. Forty-six percent of the responding physicians (N = 228) reported that they had seen women for postpartum visits during the past 3 months. Physician age, gender, race, and practice type were significantly associated with differences in their treatment preferences of PPD. Older physicians and non-white physicians were less likely to prefer treatment of PPD with antidepressants. Older physicians and physicians trained in obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) were less likely to treat PPD with referral to a social worker or psychologist for counseling, but physicians trained in family practice and female physicians were more likely to do so.
authors.affiliation: Vista Staffing Solutions, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Betsy L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Sleath
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gaynes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D009774:Obstetrics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'