Issues Faced by General Practitioners in Managing Mental Health Disorders in Basic Health Units: a Cross-Sectional...

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Mental Health Research
• Public Health

Background:

• General practitioners (GPs) are frontline providers for mental health disorders.
• Effective management of mental health in primary care requires adequate training and support.
• GPs encounter significant challenges in addressing complex mental health conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key challenges faced by GPs in managing mental health disorders.
• To assess GPs' interest in further mental health medical training.
• To explore the need for enhanced collaboration between GPs and psychiatrists.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted.
• 94 general practitioners in primary care in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, participated.
• Data were collected on perceived management issues and training needs.

Main Results:

• Common challenges included psychiatric emergencies, substance use disorders, psychopharmacology, and suicide risk assessment.
• A significant portion of GPs lacked knowledge on referral criteria for psychiatric services.
• Nearly all GPs expressed a need for better GP-psychiatrist interaction and interest in continued medical training.

Conclusions:

• Improved continued medical training in mental health is essential for GPs.
• Establishing a stronger network and collaboration between GPs and psychiatrists is vital.
• Addressing these needs can enhance mental health care delivery in primary care settings.