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Knowledge and attitudes about depression among non-generalists and generalists
W A Shao1, J W Williams, S Lee
1Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Audie Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
The Journal of Family Practice
|February 1, 1997
Summary
Physicians show good basic knowledge of depression, but misperceptions about treatment efficacy and attitudes hinder effective depression management, especially among non-generalists.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Medical Education
- Public Health
Background:
- Depression management presents challenges in primary care.
- Physician knowledge and attitudes towards depression vary across specialties.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare depression knowledge and attitudes among psychiatrists, generalists, and non-generalists.
- Identify barriers to depression management in non-psychiatric physicians.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 375 physicians (generalists, non-generalists, psychiatrists) using a 33-item questionnaire.
- Assessed knowledge, patient-attributed attitudes, physician confidence, and psychosocial orientation.
- Used multivariable regression to analyze factors associated with knowledge and attitudes.
Main Results:
- Psychiatrists had the most favorable attitudes; generalists showed more confidence in antidepressant use than non-generalists.
- Generalists were less likely to refer patients to psychiatrists compared to non-generalists.
- Knowledge scores were highest for psychiatrists, followed by generalists and non-generalists, with common misconceptions about prevalence and efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Physicians possess generally adequate knowledge of depression but face attitudinal barriers.
- Misperceptions regarding treatment efficacy and attitudes may impede accurate diagnosis and management of depression.