[A study of level of knowledge about depressive disorders among general practitioners in Argentina].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the level of knowledge about depressive disorders including their treatment, comorbidities and suicide potential among a number of general practitioners who agreed to fill out a questionnaire and provided information about their professional activities.


METHODS
Exploratory cross-sectional study among a number of general practitioners who answered voluntarily and anonymously to a questionnaire consisting of twelve questions. Data collected from 288 physicians were analyzed.


RESULTS
The majority of physicians (97.6%, n=281) considered that depression was a disease, but 39.6% (n=114) believed that it was caused by lack of will power or characterological weaknesses, which create a dissonance with the concept of disease. They also felt that they did not have enough knowledge about Depressive Disorders such as their origins, type of medications and length of treatment, comorbidities and suicide potential.


CONCLUSIONS
The results point to the need for continuous medical education about Depressive Disorders among general practitioners.
Suárez Richards
Manuel
M
Programa de Estudios Psiquiátricos y Cognitivos (PEPyC), Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de La Plata, Argentina.
Pujol
Silvana
S
Arboleda-Florez
Julio E
JE
Goñi
Miguel M
MM
D001118:Argentina; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires