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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Revital Gross, Prof¹, Shuli Brammli-Greenberg, ms², Hava Tabenkin, Prof³, and Ronit Matzliach, ms². (1) School of Social Work, Myers - JDC-Brookdale Institute and Bar Ilan University, 52900, Jerusalem, 52900, Israel, (2) Myers - JDC-Brookdale Institute, 3886, Jerusalem, 972, Israel, 02-6557454, ronitm@jdc.org.il, (3) Department of Family Medicine Clalit Health Services, Haemek Hospital, Afula, Israel

Aims: Examine screening rates for mental distress (MD) in primary care, and the effect of screening on women's satisfaction with physician .

Method: A 2003 representative national telephone survey was conducted of 1,900 respondents, with a response rate of 83%.

Findings: 33% of women (versus 24% of men) reported MD during the past year. MD was more prevalent among women with low income (45%), Arabic speakers (48%), immigrants (42%), elderly (45%), or chronically ill (42%). An independent effect of these variables on MD rates was found in Multivariate analysis.

However, only 24% of women who had MD (and 15% of all women) reported that their PCP had screened for MD during the past year. Multivariate analysis showed that PCPs screen for MD more among women with a chronic illness, women of Russian or Arabic origin, and women who in fact were found to have MD.

Women whose PCP screened for MD were more satisfied with their PCP than women whose PCP did not screen. Higher levels reported satisfaction with the PCP's professional level (42%, vs. 35% of other women), attitude (53% vs. 43%), attentive listening (53% vs. 46%), and the time he spent with them (44% vs. 39%).

Discussion: The findings highlight a need to increase PCPs' awareness of the importance of screening for MD among all women. This could improve the quality of care of women, as well as increase their satisfaction with PCPs.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn about rates of mental distress among women in Israel and recognize differences among population groups.
• Participants will learn about rates of screening for mental distress by primary care physicians and identify groups who have a lower probability of being screened.
• Participants will recognize the effect of screening for mental distress on satisfaction with primary care physician.

Keywords: Mental Health, Primary Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered