OBJECTIVE: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious US public health problem for children and adolescents. This study explored pediatricians' self-reported role in treating children and adolescents with DSM-IV-TR MDD after the 2004 US Food and Drug Administration black-box warning. METHOD: A national random sample of pediatricians (N = 2,000) was surveyed from the beginning of November 2007 through the end of January 2008, with a usable response rate of 22.7% (408 of 1,800 deliverable surveys). Descriptive statistics and χ(2) tests were used to analyze the data on treatment versus referral of children and adolescents with MDD and on the proportion of pediatricians in 4 geographic regions who treat children and adolescents with MDD. RESULTS: The majority of the pediatricians (60.0%, 245 of 408) do not treat either children or adolescents with MDD. Fewer than one-third of the pediatricians (28.2%, 115) reported treating both children and adolescents. The majority of the pediatricians (83.6%, 341) reported referring both children and adolescents to psychiatrists for treatment. The χ(2) tests indicate that the proportion of pediatricians who treat children (P = .088) and adolescents (P = .259) does not vary significantly according to the 4 geographic regions analyzed (Northeast, South, Midwest, and West). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of self-report, the majority of US pediatricians do not treat children and adolescents with MDD but instead refer these patients to psychiatrists. In light of the current shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the United States, referral to these specialists may be problematic.
OBJECTIVE: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious US public health problem for children and adolescents. This study explored pediatricians' self-reported role in treating children and adolescents with DSM-IV-TR MDD after the 2004 US Food and Drug Administration black-box warning. METHOD: A national random sample of pediatricians (N = 2,000) was surveyed from the beginning of November 2007 through the end of January 2008, with a usable response rate of 22.7% (408 of 1,800 deliverable surveys). Descriptive statistics and χ(2) tests were used to analyze the data on treatment versus referral of children and adolescents with MDD and on the proportion of pediatricians in 4 geographic regions who treat children and adolescents with MDD. RESULTS: The majority of the pediatricians (60.0%, 245 of 408) do not treat either children or adolescents with MDD. Fewer than one-third of the pediatricians (28.2%, 115) reported treating both children and adolescents. The majority of the pediatricians (83.6%, 341) reported referring both children and adolescents to psychiatrists for treatment. The χ(2) tests indicate that the proportion of pediatricians who treat children (P = .088) and adolescents (P = .259) does not vary significantly according to the 4 geographic regions analyzed (Northeast, South, Midwest, and West). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of self-report, the majority of US pediatricians do not treat children and adolescents with MDD but instead refer these patients to psychiatrists. In light of the current shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the United States, referral to these specialists may be problematic.
Authors: M M Weissman; S Wolk; P Wickramaratne; R B Goldstein; P Adams; S Greenwald; N D Ryan; R E Dahl; D Steinberg Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 1999-09
Authors: E Jane Costello; Daniel S Pine; Constance Hammen; John S March; Paul M Plotsky; Myrna M Weissman; Joseph Biederman; H Hill Goldsmith; Joan Kaufman; Peter M Lewinsohn; Martha Hellander; Kimberly Hoagwood; Doreen S Koretz; Charles A Nelson; James F Leckman Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2002-09-15 Impact factor: 13.382
Authors: Boris Birmaher; David Brent; William Bernet; Oscar Bukstein; Heather Walter; R Scott Benson; Allan Chrisman; Tiffany Farchione; Laurence Greenhill; John Hamilton; Helene Keable; Joan Kinlan; Ulrich Schoettle; Saundra Stock; Kristin Kroeger Ptakowski; Jennifer Medicus Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2007-11 Impact factor: 8.829