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Practice Commentary
Gregory L. Darrow, MD
Arch Fam Med. 1994;3(5):414.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
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Family physicians are in a unique position to initiate treatment of patients with depression. Because of the ability of the family physician to interact with the patient over a continuum of time, and because of relationships with other family members and relatives, the family physician is often able to suggest intervention quickly. As the above article indicates, there is a greater dependence on primary care physicians in rural settings because of inadequate numbers of mental health providers, which further reinforces the great need of the family physician to be cognizant of and skilled in the detection and treatment of depression. Also, patients in rural settings may look more favorably on the care rendered by family physicians than that offered by specialists.
This study, although limited by geographic area, number of respondents, and technique, nevertheless effectively addresses the issue that depression is common in rural America and that primary care physicians are certainly now (and are likely to remain in the future) the mainstay of diagnosis and
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
Author Affiliations
Mercy Health System Janesville, Wis
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