Primary Care Physicians' and Psychiatrists' Approaches to Treating Mild Depression

Overview

Journal Acta Psychiatr Scand

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2012 May 24

PMID 22616640

Citations 5

Authors

R E Lawrence

K A Rasinski

J D Yoon

K G Meador

H G Koenig

F A Curlin

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To measure how primary care physicians (PCPs) and psychiatrists treat mild depression.

Method: We surveyed a national sample of US PCPs and psychiatrists using a vignette of a 52-year-old man with depressive symptoms not meeting Major Depressive Episode criteria. Physicians were asked how likely they were to recommend an antidepressant counseling, combined medication, and counseling or to make a psychiatric referral.

Results: Response rate was 896/1427 PCPs and 312/487 for psychiatrists. Compared with PCPs, psychiatrists were more likely to recommend an antidepressant (70% vs. 56%), counseling (86% vs. 54%), or the combination of medication and counseling (61% vs. 30%). More psychiatrists (44%) than PCPs (15%) were 'very likely' to promote psychiatric referral. PCPs who frequently attended religious services were less likely (than infrequent attenders) to refer the patient to a psychiatrist (12% vs. 18%); and more likely to recommend increased involvement in meaningful relationships/activities (50% vs. 41%) and religious community (33% vs. 17%).

Conclusion: Psychiatrists treat mild depression more aggressively than PCPs. Both are inclined to use antidepressants for patients with mild depression.

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