PRIMARY-CARE PATIENTS REACTIONS TO MENTAL-HEALTH SCREENING

Objective: The authors examined whether there is empirical support for the notion that medical patients are upset by being asked questions a bout psychiatric disorders. Method: Six hundred and one patients atten ding a primary care clinic completed the SCREENER-a newly developed, b rief self-administered questionnaire that surveys a broad range of psy chopathology. In addition, they completed a second questionnaire that assessed their attitudes toward the SCREENER. Results: We found a high level of acceptance by patients. The questions were judged easy to an swer, and they rarely aroused significant negative affect. Fewer than 2 percent of the patients judged the questions difficult to answer, an d fewer than 3 percent were ''very much'' embarrassed, upset, annoyed, or uncomfortable with the questions. Individuals with a history of ps ychiatric treatment and poorer current mental health reacted more unfa vorably to the questionnaire. Conclusions: From the patient's perspect ive, it is feasible and acceptable to use self-administered questionna ires for routine screening of psychiatric problems in primary care set tings.