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Training general practitioners in the assessment of childhood mental health problems
journal contribution
posted on 2002-01-01, 00:00 authored by E Luk, P Brann, S Sutherland, Helen MildredHelen Mildred, P BirlesonEpidemiological studies have found that most children with mental health problems are not receiving appropriate help. The aim of this study was to assess an approach to train general practitioners (GPs) to detect mental health problems early, engage the families, and assist them in the access of service. Five GPs were given three hours of training on a brief assessment method. Each then interviewed parents whose children they suspected might have a mental health problem. An experienced research clinician then repeated the assessment. This information was fed back to the GP who then assisted the family in obtaining appropriate help. Twenty-nine parents were interviewed in six months. The research clinician and the GPs were in agreement for 90% of the cases for the recognition of mental health problems. GPs’ opinions on the brief assessment method were: easy to use (100%), helpful in obtaining information (100%) and helpful in engaging the parent (100%). The parents were followed up by telephone 3-4 months after the interview. Eighty-eight percent reported that the process was helpful, 67% had received help from services and 67% had improved. We conclude that with brief training, the GPs in this study were able to improve their capacity to provide early intervention for childhood mental health problems.
History
Journal
Clinical child psychology and psychiatryVolume
7Issue
4Pagination
571 - 579Publisher
Sage Publications LtdLocation
London, EnglandPublisher DOI
ISSN
1359-1045eISSN
1461-7021Language
engPublication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2002, Sage PublicationsUsage metrics
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