title: Knowledge of psychotropics and prescribing preferences of family physicians: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Family doctors often provide care for their patients' mental health needs. This study was designed to survey their opinions and actual practice of providing mental health care, specifically, prescribing psychotropic medication to outpatients with mild/moderate mental health disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 241 family medicine faculty and residents completed a self-administered survey designed to evaluate their comfort level with providing brief office counseling and psychotropic medication to their patients with mental health disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the sample reported that they prescribe psychotropic medication to their patients, despite often assessing their knowledge of psychotropics as absent or marginal. Most of the sample expressed strong interest in learning more about prescribing psychiatric medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of the study suggest the need for improved training of family physicians who often prescribe psychiatric medications for outpatients with mental health disorders.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oyama
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education; D011600:Psychopharmacology / Q000193:education; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs