Australian GPs' preferences for education about depression and related disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate Australian general practitioners' experiences of accessing education about depression and their preferences for future education on depression and related disorders.

METHOD

Six hundred and eight anonymous surveys were distributed to GPs through 52 rural and urban divisions of general practice; 420 were returned.

RESULTS

Educational formats involving direct contact with people having mental health expertise were highly valued. Distance education and web based technologies were least used. In the previous year, women and older GPs had spent more time on education about depression. Most intended to undertake more such education in the future and said that education in psychosocial strategies would be very useful. General practitioners' attitudes to further education about depression were influenced by their gender, practice location, and their previous mental health training.

DISCUSSION

More face-to-face training may be desirable to take advantage of GPs' willingness to spend more time on education about depression and related disorders.