Improvement in physicians' counseling of patients with mental health problems

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This study evaluated the impact of two interventions: (1) detailed feedback about a patient''s mental health problem and desires for specific mental health interventions, and (2) a counseling protocol on medical residents'' management of patients with mental health problems. These patients were seen in either a control, feedback, or feedback/protocol clinic. Immediately following their medical visit we found the following differences between feedback and control patients: feedback patients reported that the stress counseling they received was more valuable, and they were more satisfied with their physician; feedback patients also perceived greater decreases in the amount of over-all stress experienced, and reported greater increases in their perceived control over stress. There were no outcome differences between feedback and feedback/protocol patients. We conclude that the feedback provided in this study can enhance physicians'' ability to counsel primary care patients with mental health problems.