AN INTERNATIONAL STUDY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL-PROBLEMS IN PRIMARY-CARE - PRELIMINARY-REPORT FROM THE WORLD-HEALTH-ORGANIZATION COLLABORATIVE PROJECT ON PSYCHOLOGICAL-PROBLEMS IN GENERAL HEALTH-CARE

This article describes a large longitudinal multicenter collaborative study that investigated the form, frequency, course, and outcome of ps ychological problems that were seen in primary health care settings in 15 different sites around the world. The research employed a two-stag e sampling design in which the 12-item General Health Questionnaire wa s administered to 26 422 persons aged 18 to 65 years who were consulti ng health care services. Of these persons, 5604 were selected for deta iled examinations using standardized instruments and were followed up at 3 months and 1 year to provide information on course and outcome. A ll assessment instruments have been translated into 13 different langu ages. The project has produced a database that allows for the explorat ion of the nature of psychological disorders experienced by patients i n general medical care and their association with physical illness, il lness behavior, and disability over time.