DOES A TEACHING PROGRAM IMPROVE GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS MANAGEMENT OF DEPRESSION IN THE ELDERLY

General Practitioners have a central role to play in the management of depression in their older patients. However, studies suggest that GPs tend to underdiagnose and undermanage depression in this age group. C ontinuing Medical Education is an important part of helping GPs keep u p to date and improve their practice. We set out to see what effect a half a day postgraduate training course had on the views and knowledge of a group of local GPs on the management of depression in the elderl y. Twenty-one general practitioners attended the course and of these f ifteen completed a questionnaire with clinical vignettes before and si x weeks after the course. Analysis of the questionnaire and vignette d ata showed significant improvements in a number of areas: in particula r, GPs' knowledge about antidepressant treatment increased, as did the ir preference for cognitive behavioural therapy out of a range of psyc hological treatments. This study indicates that a teaching package on depression in the elderly can improve general practitioner's managemen t knowledge. It also suggests that old age psychiatrists can play an i mportant part in the education of their GP colleagues. Nevertheless, f urther studies are needed to ensure that educational programmes make a n effective impact on the underdiagnosis and undertreatment of depress ion in the elderly. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.