Tags

Type your tag names separated by a space and hit enter

Collaboration between primary care and psychiatric services: does it help family physicians?
Can Fam Physician. 2006 Jul; 52:876-7.CF

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To compare family physicians' reports of their experiences managing patients with psychiatric disorders in settings with and without access to collaborative mental health services.

DESIGN

Survey using a questionnaire adapted from a similar study in Australia. Family physicians were asked about their knowledge, skills, and degree of comfort in managing the following psychiatric disorders derived from the primary care version of the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases: psychosis, depression, anxiety, childhood disorders, and stress-related disorders. We also compared the 2 groups of physicians regarding their satisfaction with mental health services in general.

SETTING

The Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) in Nova Scotia.

PARTICIPANTS

All family physicians practising in the CDHA.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Self-reported knowledge, skills, and degree of comfort in managing psychiatric problems; satisfaction with mental health services, adjusted for family physicians' demographics; and stated interest in mental health.

RESULTS

We received 101 responses (37 from physicians with access to collaborative care and 64 from physicians without access) from 7 communities in the CDHA. Family physicians who had access to collaborative care reported significantly greater knowledge in the areas of psychosis, alcohol or substance use, and childhood behavioural problems; and better skills in managing psychosis, alcohol or substance use, childhood depression or anxiety, childhood behavioural disorders, and relationship problems. Their comfort levels in managing relationship problems and childhood behavioural disorders were also significantly higher. Family physicians with access to collaborative care were significantly more satisfied with mental health services, over and above shared care. All these differences remained significant after controlling for sex, level of interest in mental health, and years in practice.

CONCLUSION

Family physicians with access to collaborative care reported greater knowledge, better skills, and more comfort in managing psychiatric disorders and greater satisfaction with mental health services. Further work is needed to establish why this is so and to determine any effect on patient outcomes, such as symptoms, quality of life, and psychosocial functioning.

Links

PMC Free PDF
PMC Free Full Text
FREE Publisher Full Text

Authors+Show Affiliations

Kisely S
Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. Stephen.Kisely@cdha.nshealth.ca
Duerden D
No affiliation info available
Shaddick S
No affiliation info available
Jayabarathan A
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultAttitude of Health PersonnelClinical CompetenceFamily PracticeFemaleHealth Care SurveysHealth Services AccessibilityHumansInterdisciplinary CommunicationMaleMental DisordersMental Health ServicesMiddle Aged

Pub Type(s)

Comparative Study
Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

17273487

Citation

Kisely, Stephen, et al. "Collaboration Between Primary Care and Psychiatric Services: Does It Help Family Physicians?" Canadian Family Physician Medecin De Famille Canadien, vol. 52, 2006, pp. 876-7.
Kisely S, Duerden D, Shaddick S, et al. Collaboration between primary care and psychiatric services: does it help family physicians? Can Fam Physician. 2006;52:876-7.
Kisely, S., Duerden, D., Shaddick, S., & Jayabarathan, A. (2006). Collaboration between primary care and psychiatric services: does it help family physicians? Canadian Family Physician Medecin De Famille Canadien, 52, 876-7.
Kisely S, et al. Collaboration Between Primary Care and Psychiatric Services: Does It Help Family Physicians. Can Fam Physician. 2006;52:876-7. PubMed PMID: 17273487.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Collaboration between primary care and psychiatric services: does it help family physicians? AU - Kisely,Stephen, AU - Duerden,Debbie, AU - Shaddick,Susan, AU - Jayabarathan,Ajantha, PY - 2007/2/3/pubmed PY - 2007/2/9/medline PY - 2007/2/3/entrez SP - 876 EP - 7 JF - Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien JO - Can Fam Physician VL - 52 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To compare family physicians' reports of their experiences managing patients with psychiatric disorders in settings with and without access to collaborative mental health services. DESIGN: Survey using a questionnaire adapted from a similar study in Australia. Family physicians were asked about their knowledge, skills, and degree of comfort in managing the following psychiatric disorders derived from the primary care version of the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases: psychosis, depression, anxiety, childhood disorders, and stress-related disorders. We also compared the 2 groups of physicians regarding their satisfaction with mental health services in general. SETTING: The Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) in Nova Scotia. PARTICIPANTS: All family physicians practising in the CDHA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported knowledge, skills, and degree of comfort in managing psychiatric problems; satisfaction with mental health services, adjusted for family physicians' demographics; and stated interest in mental health. RESULTS: We received 101 responses (37 from physicians with access to collaborative care and 64 from physicians without access) from 7 communities in the CDHA. Family physicians who had access to collaborative care reported significantly greater knowledge in the areas of psychosis, alcohol or substance use, and childhood behavioural problems; and better skills in managing psychosis, alcohol or substance use, childhood depression or anxiety, childhood behavioural disorders, and relationship problems. Their comfort levels in managing relationship problems and childhood behavioural disorders were also significantly higher. Family physicians with access to collaborative care were significantly more satisfied with mental health services, over and above shared care. All these differences remained significant after controlling for sex, level of interest in mental health, and years in practice. CONCLUSION: Family physicians with access to collaborative care reported greater knowledge, better skills, and more comfort in managing psychiatric disorders and greater satisfaction with mental health services. Further work is needed to establish why this is so and to determine any effect on patient outcomes, such as symptoms, quality of life, and psychosocial functioning. SN - 0008-350X UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/17273487/Collaboration_between_primary_care_and_psychiatric_services:_does_it_help_family_physicians L2 - http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=17273487 DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -