Australian general practice and the meeting of needs for mental health care |
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Authors: | G Meadows T Liaw P Burgess I Bobevski E Fossey |
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Institution: | (1) University of Melbourne Department of Psychiatry, Located at: Bell St. Academic, Centre for Community, Mental Health, 126 Bell Street, Coburg 3058, Victoria, Australia, AU;(2) University of Melbourne Department of General Practice and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, AU;(3) Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, AU;(4) La Trobe University School of Occupational Therapy, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, AU |
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Abstract: | Background: This report, drawing on a national epidemiological survey conducted in 1997, examines the role of Australian medical general
practitioners (GPs) in responding to needs for mental health care. Methods: We analysed data from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB). The NSMHWB employed clustered
probability sampling of all Australian adults, and 10,641 participants were interviewed. The field questionnaire included
modules of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, and instruments assessing disability, service utilisation and
perceived needs for care. Results: Eighty-four percent of people with a mental disorder consulted a GP in the year prior to survey, but only 29 % consulted
in relation to a mental health problem. GP services were seen as more responsive to needs for medication, counselling and
information than needs for social interventions and skills training. People with perceived needs for counselling were more
likely to consult with other providers, either as alternative or additional consultations to those with a GP. Counselling
needs were reported as less well met when people saw a GP alone than when consulting other service providers. Conclusions: Many people with mental health problems attend primary medical care practitioners without presenting these problems to their
physicians. When they do present, perceived needs for medication are rated as well met, but there is substantial unmet perceived
need for interventions in social and occupational domains. Perceived needs for counselling are less well met where the GP
is the sole provider. To close these identified gaps calls for improvements in primary care physicians' skills and effective
collaborative models with other providers.
Accepted: 18 May 2001 |
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Keywords: | Epidemiology – Mental Disorders – Primary Health Care – Family Practice |
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