The effects of depression awareness seminars on general practitioners knowledge of depressive illness.

The Royal Colleges of Psychiatry and General Practice wish to increase knowledge of depressive illness among patients and professionals. This study reports the results of a series of depression education seminars in a Health Board in Northern Ireland. Seminars lasted 2 1/2 hours and included didactic teaching and interactive case management vignettes. 88 general practitioners took part (39% of those eligible). Seminars increased knowledge as measured by questionnaire immediately, but this did not appear to be sustained at one year, when compared to a group of general practitioners with no access to such seminars. Educational programmes as described do not appear to have a sustained effect on general practitioners' knowledge of depressive illness.