Depression and anxiety in general practice and family medicine consultation.

• Author(s): Resina, T ; Pinhão, A ; Neto, L ; Leitão, A ; Martins, J ; Augusto, M
• Date: 1989
• Origin: Acta Médica Portuguesa
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: Portuguese

Description

The aim of this work was to study depression and anxiety in outpatients of Family Practice, namely: definition of cases, caseness, point-prevalence, clinical features, correlations with social demographic factors and identification of risk groups for those psychological disorders. Therapeutic attitudes displayed by family practitioners were also evaluated. The results of the study reveal a high prevalence of depression in family medicine settings and a relative tendency of family doctors to underdiagnose case of depression. Such an evidence allows the authors to conclude that steps should be taken in order to provide training programs for family practitioners and to plan appropriate treatment programmes at public Health Centres.

The aim of this work was to study depression and anxiety in outpatients of Family Practice, namely: definition of cases, caseness, point-prevalence, clinical features, correlations with social demographic factors and identification of risk groups for those psychological disorders. Therapeutic attitudes displayed by family practitioners were also evaluated. The results of the study reveal a high prevalence of depression in family medicine settings and a relative tendency of family doctors to underdiagnose case of depression. Such an evidence allows the authors to conclude that steps should be taken in order to provide training programs for family practitioners and to plan appropriate treatment programmes at public Health Centres.