Self-Efficacy of General Practitioner Family Physicians in Mental Health Services: A Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey

The role of primary care physicians in mental health services is increasingly significant. However, there is a lack of research on general practitioners' interest and self-efficacy in providing mental health services.

This study aims to assess the interest and self-efficacy of general practitioners in mental health services and to identify their educational needs in this area.

This study employs a cross-sectional design. A total of 461 family physicians are working in primary care health services in Kayseri, Turkey. The study sample included 415 general practitioners who had not received specialist training in family medicine after graduating from medical school. Face-to-face surveys were conducted with 270 general practitioners who agreed to participate in the study. The survey included questions about demographic characteristics, postgraduate training, experiences related to mental health, knowledge of mental health and medication treatment, self-evaluations of self-efficacy in mental health services, and requests for education on the subject.

General practitioners reported low self-efficacy in the use and dosage of psychiatric medications (11.9%), but felt more competent in relation to drugs with addictive potential (34.4%). However, they generally perceived their competence in the use and monitoring of psychiatric medications to be low. The area where they felt least competent in managing mental illnesses in primary care was "intervention in suicide." Their awareness and coordination regarding community mental health centers, as mental health service providers, were found to be low. Overall, general practitioners perceived themselves as inadequately competent in tracking and managing mental illnesses.

General practitioners acknowledge that mental health services are a primary care responsibility. However, there is a need to increase their self-efficacy in providing mental health services at the primary care level. Since all participants in this study were public employees, continuing mandatory postgraduate mental health training is crucial. Additionally, strengthening collaboration and coordination mechanisms, as well as providing more effective referrals to community mental health centers, is essential. These efforts will significantly contribute to improving the community's mental health.