Years ago, if someone thought about mental health care, he or she might have imagined a pipe-smoking psychiatrist listening to a reclining depressed patient from his leather armchair. But in reality, depression is more likely to be treated by a primary care doctor who might not have time to sit down at all.
Identifying and treating depression is challenging, especially when time and resources aren't available. And there are concerns that depressed patients do not receive the proper attention when they are treated by a primary care doctor instead of psychiatrist. But some experts disagree and say that the primary care setting has the potential to help people find long-term relief from depression.
Why Depression Is a Primary Care Problem
One reason researchers are interested in improving mental health care in primary care is that, currently, most men and women with depression are not receiving treatment. This was confirmed by results of a 2003 national survey on major depression, which showed only about half of people with major depressive disorder received treatment.
Before patients can get treatment, someone has to recognize that they are depressed—and that job usually falls to the primary care provider.
"Most people don't see a mental health professional even if they have major depression or anxiety, so the primary care doctor is often the only point of contact," says Dr. Donna McAlpine, an assistant professor at the division of health services research.
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
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