PsychEducation.org (home)   

Resources for Primary Care Treatment of Depression and Anxiety 
 (Reorganized 3/2012)

Primary care providers treat at least 50% of the mental health problems in the U.S.^Wells.   And have less time to do it than mental health providers.  And have little support for their efforts.  As a small step toward such support, here are resources developed in collaboration with my local primary care colleagues.  

Diagnosis

 Diagnostic Aids
       - Clues on distinguishing ADHD and bipolar disorder in kids-- before using stimulants; 
        -  ADHD screening tools: 

• ASRSv1.1 -- shorter; asks only for the main symptoms, no masking of "right" answers, easier to endorse all "yes"

• Wender -- longer; asks for many details which are irrelevant to diagnosis, thus masks which ones to say "yes" to

          -  Your guide to diagnosis of bipolar variations (treatment too, if you can't refer) 

Screening Tools      ("How many conditions can a GP screen for?" -- BMJ editorial)

• Bipolar Disorder
   Primary Care MoodCheck (better than the MDQ? take a look)

• Depression  
     -  The McArthur Foundation's PHQ-9 -- simple, visual scoring, no advertising 
                 PHQ-9 scoring guidelines
                 McArthur Foundation's Depression Management Tool Kit (lower left hand corner of their home page)
     - Who should get a PHQ-9? A two-question approach with 97% sensitivity (specificity moot if used as gross screen)^{Arroll, full text}

• Dementia
      - MOCA -- the Montreal Cognitive Assessment

Treatment

• A Lithium Augmentation Primer 

• Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder