Mental health
Mapping the primary care mental health system using the RACGP quality framework for Australian general practiceCaroline Johnson, Grant Blashki, Jane Gunn
University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria Australia’s mental health system is currently poorly integrated, and new service initiatives tend to develop without sufficient regard for the GP perspective. During this current climate of mental health reform it is timely to develop an overview of the mental health system with particular regard to how such services interface with GPs. |
Breaking down the barriers: GP mentors for adolescentsDr Carol Kefford SIGPET (Sydney Institute
of General Practice Education and Training), The University of Sydney
and HKRDGP (Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Division of General Practice) Two out of every three young Australians rate their health as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ but within this group, there exists substantial morbidity and mortality associated with suicide, injury and substance abuse, mental illness, behavioural problems and learning difficulties. |
Patrons and partners: conflicts in preferred models of health care between doctors and refugee clientsChristine Phillips Academic Unit of General
Practice and Community Health, Medical School, Australian National
University, Canberra and Companion House, Canberra Refugees in Australia are a culturally diverse and marginalised group, with many unmet health needs. Little is known about the ways in which patient-doctor relationships evolve in the context of high health needs and different understandings of the proper role of health care providers. This study examined community and professional understandings of “the good health care service” as part of several evaluations of refugee health care in Canberra and regional NSW. |
Yoga/meditation for treating the symptoms of depression in adults: a Cochrane systematic reviewKatie McMahon, Mark Nelson Discipline of General Practice, University of Tasmania The use of complementary therapies is increasing. It is estimated that 22–53% of people with major depression have used complementary medicine. Some GPs recommend yoga/meditation for managing the symptoms of depression. There is established evidence for the use of cognitive behavioural therapy, and some evidence for the use of exercise in this setting. Controlling respiration influences nervous system activity. Yoga/meditation utilises elements of these techniques, making it a plausible modality for the management of depression. |
Barriers to doctors seeking health careMargaret Kay, Geoffrey Mitchell University of Queensland, Brisbane A healthy future for general practice requires healthy doctors. Evidence shows that doctors have difficulty accessing independent health care, yet there has been little research to look at the barriers that doctors actually experience. This study was designed to look at the barriers and promoters of health access behaviours of medical practitioners. |
Occupational violence in Australian urban general practice: findings from a qualitative studyJon Adams University of Queensland To explore Australian urban GPs’ experiences of violence and the effects of these experiences, and of perceptions of threat on GPs and their practice. |