Premium
Self‐reported confidence and skills of general practitioners in management of mental health disorders
Author(s) -
Browne Mark Oakley,
Lee Adeline,
Prabhu Radha
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2007.00914.x
Subject(s) - mental health , medicine , health care , perception , psychology , nursing , family medicine , psychiatry , neuroscience , economics , economic growth
Objective: To identify the predictors of self‐reported confidence and skills of GPs in management of patients with mental health problems.Design: Cross‐sectional survey, with questionnaire presented to 246 GPs working in 62 practices throughout Gippsland.Setting: Rural general practices in Gippsland.Participants: One hundred and thirty‐four GPs across Gippsland.Main outcome measures: GPs completed a questionnaire assessing self‐perception of knowledge and skills in recognition and management of common mental health problems.Results: Of 134 GPs, 45% reported that they have a specific interest in mental health, and 39% of GPs reported that they had previous mental health training. Only 22% of GPs describe having both an interest and prior training in mental health care. Age and years since graduation are not significantly related to self‐reported confidence and skills.Conclusions: The results of this study highlight that self‐professed interest and prior training in mental health are associated. Self‐professed interest in mental health care predicts confidence and self‐perceived skills in recognition, assessment and management of common mental health disorders. Similarly, prior training in mental health care predicts confidence and self‐perceived skills in recognition, assessment and management of common mental health problems. Self‐professed interest in mental health issues is also associated with hours of participation in continuing medical education related to mental health care. Unfortunately, only a minority described having both interest and prior training in mental health care.