DO DEPRESSED-PATIENTS IN DIFFERENT TREATMENT SETTINGS HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF WELL-BEING AND FUNCTIONING

Differences in the functioning and well-being of adult patients with c urrent or past depressive disorder who visited clinicians of different specialties in health maintenance organizations, solo practices, or l arge multispecialty group practices were examined. For patients in dif ferent systems, there were no significant differences in functioning a nd well-being across 12 domains tested. Patients of mental health spec ialists had worse mental health and more limitations in social activit ies, whereas patients of medical clinicians had worse physical functio ning, more pain, more physical/psychophysiologic symptoms, and worse h ealth perceptions. Thus, each system of care had depressed patients wi th a similar functioning and well-being ''burden'' but specialty secto rs had patients with slightly different functioning and well-being pro files, probably reflecting patient selection of type of provider.