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.
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.
Authors: Kenneth Wells; Cathy Sherbourne; Naihua Duan; Jürgen Unützer; Jeanne Miranda; Michael Schoenbaum; Susan L Ettner; Lisa S Meredith; Lisa Rubenstein Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2005-06 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: H G Koenig; H J Cohen; D G Blazer; C Pieper; K G Meador; F Shelp; V Goli; B DiPasquale Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 1992-12 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Niels Christian Hvidt; Farr Curlin; Arndt Büssing; Klaus Baumann; Eckhard Frick; Jens Søndergaard; Jesper Bo Nielsen; Ryan Lawrence; Giancarlo Lucchetti; Parameshwaran Ramakrishnan; Inga Wermuth; René Hefti; Eunmi Lee; Alex Kappel Kørup Journal: J Relig Health Date: 2021-10-01