TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2010//
TI  - Effects of Training Program on Recognition and Management of Depression and Suicide Risk Evaluation for Slovenian Primary-care Physicians: Follow-up Study
JO  - Croatian medical journal
A1  - Roskar, Saska
A1  - Podlešek, Anja
A1  - Zorko, Maja
A1  - Tavcar, Rok
A1  - Zvezdana Dernovsek, M
A1  - Groleger, Urban
A1  - Mirjanic, Milan
A1  - Konec, Nusa
A1  - Janet, Evgen
A1  - Marusic, Andrej
SP  - 237
EP  - 242
VL  - 51
IS  - 3
N2  - Aim. To implement and evaluate an educational program for primary care physicians on recognition and treatment of depression and suicide prevention. Method. The study was conducted in 3 Slovenian neighboring regions (Celje, Ravne na Koroskem, and Podravska) with similar suicide rates and other health indicators. All primary care physicians from Celje (N=155) and Ravne na Koroskem (N=35) were invited to participate in the educational program on depression treatment and suicide risk recognition. From January to March 2003, approximately half of them (82 out of 190; educational group) attended the program, whereas the other half (108 out of 190; control group 1) and physicians from the Podravska region (N=164; control group 2) did not attend the program. The prescription rates of antidepressants and anxiolytics before and after the intervention were compared between the studied regions. Also, suicide rates three-years before and after the intervention were compared. Results. From 2002 to 2003, there was a 2.33-fold increase in the rate of antidepressant prescriptions in the educational group (P<0.05) and only 1.28-fold (P<0.05) and 1.34-fold (P<0.05) increase in control groups 1 and 2, respectively. However, the 12% decrease in suicide rate in the intervention regions was not significantly greater than the 4% decrease in the non-intervention region (P>0.05). Conclusion. Our training program was beneficial for primary care physicians' ability to recognize and manage depression. However, there was no significant decrease in local suicide rates.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0353-9504
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -