title: Primary Care Providers as Mental Health Counselors: Views from Urban, Minority Adolescents.
abstract: To examine urban, minority adolescents' preferences for receiving guidance for mental health (MH) issues from primary care providers (PCPs) or from mental health providers (MHPs).
  
  
  
  Adolescents (13-21 years) from three community clinics and one school-based health center (SBHC) in the Bronx, N.Y. completed anonymous surveys. Characteristics of adolescents who preferred the PCP vs. MHP and adolescents' attitudes about the PCP vs. the MHP were compared.
  
  
  
  Adolescents (N=135), mean age 16 years, majority Hispanic participated. Although 85% strongly agreed or agreed that their PCP was knowledgeable about MH, 57% preferred to talk to a MHP. Those who preferred the MHP were younger, attend a SBHC, and trust information on MH from a MHP. Those who preferred the PCP were more likely to report feeling comfortable talking to their PCP about MH.
  
  
  
  Although the majority preferred a MHP, PCPs appeared to be an acceptable alternative for MH care.
authors.forename: Sylvia W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Ellen Johnson
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Silver
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusulas
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Alderman
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Racine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000072117:Counselors; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009519:New York City; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012572:School Health Services; D055815:Young Adult