title: [On the role of pharmacists in the care of patients with depressive disorders--evaluation of a training programme for pharmacists].
abstract: Depressive disorders are highly prevalent, under-diagnosed and under-treated, causing high direct and socioeconomic costs. So far, the role of pharmacists in counselling and supervision of patients with depression has hardly been investigated. However, as pharmaceutical experts for doctor's prescriptions as well as self-medication, they represent an important multiplicator group in health care systems. The aim of nationwide seminars for pharmacists was to improve attitudes and knowledge of the spectrum of depressive disorders. The evaluation (n=102) which was performed within the seminars shows that personal beliefs of pharmacists regarding depression depend on their own age and years of professional experience. The study points out that specific training programmes (e. g., communication techniques), especially in a subgroup of younger and less experienced staff members in the pharmacy, may improve the care of depressive individuals. This should--in close cooperation with general practitioners, mental health specialists and health care systems--also substantially contribute to enhance effectiveness of treatment of depressive disorders and to reduce healthcare costs.
authors.affiliation: LWL-Universitätsklinik Bochum, Psychiatrie-Psychotherapie-Psychosomatik-Präventivmedizin, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Alexandrinenstrasse 1, Bochum. Christine.Norra@rub.de
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Norra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D024382:Professional Role; D055815:Young Adult