MEDIA ADVISORY: Interview Opportunity
SCREENING BY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS MAY HELP DETECTMENTAL DISORDERS
WHO: Dr. Robert Spitzer, Chief, Biometrics Research
Dr. Fred Quitkin, Director, Depression Evaluation Service
WHAT: Screening for Mental Disorders
WHERE: The New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) 1051 Riverside Drive & W. 165th St.
Physicians often see patients with psychiatric problems in their practice, but are usually not aware of this. By simply asking a few pointed questions, primary care physicians can flush out underlying problems, like depression, which would otherwise go untreated. A recent study in The Annals of Internal Medicine brought this to our attention. However, alerting primary care doctors to the importance of screening for mental health disorders is nothing new. Drs. Robert Spitzer and Janet Williams of the Biometrics Research Department of the New York State Psychiatric Institute developed Prime-MD® in 1993. It was the first standardized test designed by both psychiatrists and primary care physicians to help screen, evaluate and diagnose mental health disorders most commonly seen in primary care settings. A self-administered version of the test was introduced in 1999. “It is still difficult for some people to approach a psychiatrist or psychologist about some as-yet-undiagnosed mental health problem,” said Dr. Spitzer. “The only health professional they come in contact with is usually their own general practitioner so our best chance of interrupting the course of a mental disorder is by screening in the practitioner’s office.” “An early and accurate diagnosis would help patients improve their quality of life significantly,” said Dr. Fred Quitkin, Director of the Psychiatric Institute’s Depression Evaluation Service. Each year, nearly 10% of the population—or 18.8 million adult Americans—has a depressive episode.
Contact: Dacia Morris (212) 543-5421 5/2002 |