Can Depression Be Managed Appropriately in Primary Care?

This review considers the necessary conditions for appropriate management of depression in primarycare. While discussion of primary care management has often focused on the recognition of depression,recognition alone is not sufficient. Recent research demonstrates that primary care managementof depression frequently fails to meet recommended standards for intensity of treatment andfollow-up. Several recent randomized trials show that effective treatment of depression in primarycare is possible but will require significant changes in current practice. Prerequisites for more effectivemanagement of depression in primary care include appropriate patient education, systematicmonitoring of care processes and outcomes, and easy access to the full range of psychiatric consultationservices.