title: Knowledge and practices of general practitioners regarding psychiatric problems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mental health problems account for 12% of global disease burden and non-psychiatrist medical practitioners deal with a large proportion of this burden. This study was planned to assess the knowledge, attitude and treatment practices of non-psychiatrist medical practitioners regarding mental health problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred Allopathic and 25 each of Homeopathic and Ayurvedic medical practitioners were interviewed and assessed using a semi-structured performa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority (95%) of them were aware regarding etiology, increasing incidence and treatment facilities available for mental health problems. Treatment modalities include counseling and medication but 69.9% of them had not received any formal training in administering them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  98.5% practitioners providing mental health services at the primary level feel the need to be properly trained and oriented in the management of these patients to improve quality of healthcare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana - 141001, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Mishra