The Medical journal of Australia
-
Comparative Study
What can alert the general practitioner to people whose common mental health problems are unrecognised?
To assess the characteristics of people with common mental health problems who are recognised by their general practitioner, and those who are not. ⋯ Low rates of recognition of psychological problems by GPs, and infrequent treatment for those presenting with somatic symptoms, indicate a need for building GPs skills in the assessment and management of somatisation. The SPHERE-12 may be a useful screening tool for primary care if followed by further questioning and other methods to assess diagnosis and severity to target appropriate treatment.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Preventing relapse of depression in primary care: a pilot study of the "Keeping the blues away" program.
To determine the effectiveness of "Keeping the blues away" (KBA), a manualised depression relapse prevention program for general practice, in reducing the relapse of depression compared with usual care (with the aim of halving the relapse rate), and in reducing depression severity and improving the process of care. ⋯ Although this pilot study of a small sample did not achieve its primary outcome of reducing depression relapse by 50%, KBA was found to be a promising program for older patients and for those with more severe or persistent symptoms.
-
To report the baseline characteristics of the Diagnosis, Management and Outcomes of Depression in Primary Care (diamond) study cohort and discuss the implications for depression care in general practice. ⋯ This method of screening for depressive symptoms in general practice identifies a group of patients with substantial multiple comorbidities -- psychiatric, physical and social problems coexist with depressive symptoms, raising challenges for the management of depression in general practice.
-
To determine the causes of death in Australians with type 1 diabetes mellitus who died aged 40 years or younger. ⋯ In deceased young people with type 1 diabetes examined by the Coroner, acute diabetic complications, unnatural causes, and sudden unexpected deaths were the predominant causes of death. The relatively high frequency of sudden unexpected deaths, such as dead-in-bed syndrome, requires further investigation.