TY - JOUR
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Aged
KW - Anxiety Disorders/diagnosis/therapy
KW - Attitude of Health Personnel
KW - Child
KW - Clinical Competence
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Dementia/diagnosis/therapy
KW - Depressive Disorder/diagnosis/therapy
KW - Female
KW - Health Services Accessibility
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Mental Disorders/classification/diagnosis/epidemiology/therapy
KW - Mental Health Services/standards
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Needs Assessment
KW - New South Wales/epidemiology
KW - Patient Care Management
KW - Physicians, Family/education/psychology/supply & distribution
KW - Primary Health Care/standards
KW - Questionnaires
KW - Referral and Consultation
KW - Rural Health Services/standards
KW - Self Efficacy
AU - C. Alexander
AU - J. Fraser
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE: To identify the needs of the region's general practitioners concerning diagnosing, treating and referring patients with mental health disorders and major barriers to the general practitioners' management of these patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS: All general practitioners working in rural north-western New South Wales. MEASUREMENTS: Self-assessed levels of confidence (5-point Likert scale) in diagnosing and treating patients with a mental health condition. Practice data relating to presentation of such patients as well as issues affecting treatment and referral. RESULTS: The three most commonly diagnosed and treated mental health conditions are depression, anxiety and dementia. General practitioners assessed themselves as being confident in diagnosing and treating these three mental health conditions and in diagnosing and treating adults and the elderly. The only form of treatment intervention that the general practitioners self-assessed as being confident in relates to medication. Referrals to mental health specialists were due mostly to patients needing mental health counselling, the general practitioners seeking clarification of diagnosis as well as having insufficient skills to provide the best possible care. Barriers to being able to refer relate mainly to specialist services not being available and/or accessible as well as patients being reluctant to accept such a referral. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that other than for depression, anxiety and dementia, efforts to improve the general practitioners' diagnostic and treatment skills and to diagnose and treat adolescents and children are warranted. Up-skilling the general practitioners' ability to confidently use treatment options other than medication are worth considering.
BT - The Australian Journal of Rural Health
C5 - Education & Workforce
CP - 6
CY - Australia
DO - 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2008.01017.x
IS - 6
JF - The Australian Journal of Rural Health
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To identify the needs of the region's general practitioners concerning diagnosing, treating and referring patients with mental health disorders and major barriers to the general practitioners' management of these patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS: All general practitioners working in rural north-western New South Wales. MEASUREMENTS: Self-assessed levels of confidence (5-point Likert scale) in diagnosing and treating patients with a mental health condition. Practice data relating to presentation of such patients as well as issues affecting treatment and referral. RESULTS: The three most commonly diagnosed and treated mental health conditions are depression, anxiety and dementia. General practitioners assessed themselves as being confident in diagnosing and treating these three mental health conditions and in diagnosing and treating adults and the elderly. The only form of treatment intervention that the general practitioners self-assessed as being confident in relates to medication. Referrals to mental health specialists were due mostly to patients needing mental health counselling, the general practitioners seeking clarification of diagnosis as well as having insufficient skills to provide the best possible care. Barriers to being able to refer relate mainly to specialist services not being available and/or accessible as well as patients being reluctant to accept such a referral. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that other than for depression, anxiety and dementia, efforts to improve the general practitioners' diagnostic and treatment skills and to diagnose and treat adolescents and children are warranted. Up-skilling the general practitioners' ability to confidently use treatment options other than medication are worth considering.
PP - Australia
PY - 2008
SN - 1440-1584; 1038-5282
SP - 363
EP - 369
EP - 
T1 - General practitioners' management of patients with mental health conditions: The views of general practitioners working in rural north-western New South Wales
T2 - The Australian Journal of Rural Health
TI - General practitioners' management of patients with mental health conditions: The views of general practitioners working in rural north-western New South Wales
U1 - Education & Workforce
U2 - 19032209
U3 - 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2008.01017.x
VL - 16
VO - 1440-1584; 1038-5282
Y1 - 2008
ER -