title: Assessment of changes in confidence, attitude, and knowledge of non-psychiatric physicians undergoing a depression training program in Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether non-psychiatric physicians would benefit from a national depression training program and explore associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Attending physicians were asked to complete survey questionnaires of confidence, attitude, knowledge, and their willingness to implement new strategies to improve care, before and after training. Paired t-test and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the differences and explore factors associated with the domains of confidence, attitude, and knowledge. McNemar's test was used to compare the difference between the physicians' intention to change depression management before and after training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 524 eligible physicians, 307 (59%) completed the pre- and post-program assessments. These physicians showed significantly increased knowledge score and willingness to implement new treatment strategies, as well as more positive attitude toward and confidence in treating depression. The lower corresponding baseline score was associated with greater improvement in domains ofknowledge, confidence, and attitude. Completion of the training was associated with an improvement in knowledge and becoming less helpless and avoidant attitude. Other factors including non-family-medicine physicians, post-graduate education, and female gender are associated with greater improvements in various domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that even a brief educational program can positively influence the physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in treating depression. Further work is needed to monitor whether the effects of training are long-term, and can be translated into behavioral change in practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yao-Hsien
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shen-Ing
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ru-Band
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D013624:Taiwan