Impact of Demographic Factors on Recognizing Depression and Anxiety in Primary Care in Slovenia
Author Information
Author(s): Rifel Janez, Švab Igor, Šter Marija Petek, Pavlič Danica Rotar, King Michael, Nazareth Irwin
Primary Institution: Department of family medicine, Medical faculty, University in Ljubljana, Slovenia
Hypothesis
The study investigates associations between gender, age, and educational level and the detection of depression and anxiety by family physicians.
Conclusion
Higher levels of education may require more standardized interviews for proper recognition of depression by family physicians in Slovenia.
Supporting Evidence
- Family physicians fail to diagnose up to 70% of patients with common mental disorders.
- Women and those with lower education are more likely to be diagnosed with depression.
- The prevalence of major depression was found to be low among family practice attendees in Slovenia.
Takeaway
Doctors might miss diagnosing depression in people with higher education, so they need to ask more questions to help identify it.
Methodology
The study compared two observational studies using logistic regression to analyze the effects of demographic factors on the detection of depression and anxiety.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the stigma associated with mental health diagnoses and differences in recruitment methods.
Limitations
The studies were conducted on different attendees, limiting comparability, and the response rate in the PREDICT-D study was only 80%.
Participant Demographics
Participants included family medicine practice attendees aged 18 to 75, with varying educational levels.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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