Improving the Management of Late-Life Depression in Primary Care: Barriers and Facilitators
Table 2
Mean and frequency rankings of important and feasible solutions to depression management ranked by post-conference participants ().
Importance
Feasibility
Solutions
Mean rank
Top three frequency
Mean rank
Top three frequency
Develop mechanisms to improve family physicians’ awareness of resources to help manage depression
4.57
4
4.43
4 (ranked 1 by all)
Develop mechanisms to provide family physicians with direct support from mental health professionals to help them manage specific patients
3.14
4 (ranked 1 by all)
5.29
2
Monetary and human resources should be allocated to make collaborative care of depression easier to engage in
6.42
2
10.43
0
A framework to access depression care services from many settings should be developed
6.14
0
6.86
1
Improve coordination and flow of information between patients/families and physicians/health teams
5.86
2
5.71
1
Community-based resources should be enhanced to support older adults with depression and their families
6.14
1
5.71
1
Professional training on interdisciplinary collaboration in mental health should be provided
6.71
2
6.00
2
There should be increased lobbying efforts to secure funding
7.71
0
8.14
0
Computerized information systems should be implemented to foster better coordination—communication between family physician offices, hospital, and mental health teams
10.00
0
10.71
0
Case finding strategies should be implemented at strategic moments
5.71
2
6.00
3
Patients should be motivated, coached, and supported in their own self care efforts
7.71
1
5.00
3
General education on depression should be supplied
