title: Obstacles in Managing Mental Health Problems for Primary Care Physicians in Hong Kong.
abstract: This study investigated the obstacles for primary care physicians (PCPs) to managing mental health problems in Hong Kong. Focus group data collected from PCPs and psychiatrists were used to construct a questionnaire for a quantitative survey with 516 PCPs respondents. The results showed that their commonly perceived obstacles were lack of timely access to public psychiatrists, lack of feedback from both public and private psychiatrists after referrals; as well as patients' reluctance to be referred. Factor analysis and correlational analysis found that the numbers of mental health patients treated by the PCPs were mainly determined by the PCPs' own clinical constraints, including limited confidence in diagnosis and management, time constraint, and limited job satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Kai Sing
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong. tplam@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Tai Pong
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Kwok Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.|Kwai Chung Hospital, Kwai Chung, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Tak Lam
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011570:Psychiatry; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Health care system; Mental health; Obstacles; Primary care; Referral