TY - JOUR
T1 - Patients with a psychiatric disorder in general practice
T2 - Determinants of general practitioners' psychological diagnosis
AU - Verhaak, P. F M
AU - Schellevis, Francois G.
AU - Nuijen, Jasper
AU - Volkers, Anita C.
PY - 2006/3/1
Y1 - 2006/3/1
N2 - Background: Although psychiatric disorders are highly prevalent in the community, many patients with a psychiatric morbidity remain unidentified as such in primary care. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze which clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with psychiatric morbidity are related to general practitioners' (GPs) diagnosis of mental illness. Methods: A 1-year naturalistic survey of primary care contacts of patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of affective disorder, anxiety disorder or alcohol abuse was carried out. Results: Of the patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis, 10% did not visit their GP at all during 1 year, 40% visited their GP but were only diagnosed as having somatic diagnoses and 50% were given a psychological or social diagnosis at least once during 1 year. Affective disorders are more frequently diagnosed than anxiety disorders or alcohol abuse. The chances of psychological GP diagnosis increase with the number of GP contacts. Conclusions: GPs appear to have few indications to help them distinguish patients with a psychiatric morbidity from others, as long as the patients themselves do not express more explicit clues to their condition. Public mental health education and a better public relations policy are badly needed.
AB - Background: Although psychiatric disorders are highly prevalent in the community, many patients with a psychiatric morbidity remain unidentified as such in primary care. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze which clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with psychiatric morbidity are related to general practitioners' (GPs) diagnosis of mental illness. Methods: A 1-year naturalistic survey of primary care contacts of patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of affective disorder, anxiety disorder or alcohol abuse was carried out. Results: Of the patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis, 10% did not visit their GP at all during 1 year, 40% visited their GP but were only diagnosed as having somatic diagnoses and 50% were given a psychological or social diagnosis at least once during 1 year. Affective disorders are more frequently diagnosed than anxiety disorders or alcohol abuse. The chances of psychological GP diagnosis increase with the number of GP contacts. Conclusions: GPs appear to have few indications to help them distinguish patients with a psychiatric morbidity from others, as long as the patients themselves do not express more explicit clues to their condition. Public mental health education and a better public relations policy are badly needed.
KW - Anxiety
KW - DSM-IV
KW - Depression
KW - General practitioner
KW - Psychiatric morbidity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33644651102&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2005.11.001
DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2005.11.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 16516062
SN - 0163-8343
VL - 28
SP - 125
EP - 132
JO - General Hospital Psychiatry
JF - General Hospital Psychiatry
IS - 2
ER -