[Medical residents in family and community medicine facing the problems of mental health: an opinion survey].

In the present study the opinions of a group of family and community medicine residents from the Madrid Autonomous Community about the following points were evaluated: 1) The relevance that they attribute to psychiatric knowledge and skills; 2) Their degree of qualification in these areas; and 3) The use of each of these knowledges and skills in their daily clinical practice. To his end, the questionnaire elaborated by Johnson W. and Snibbe J. was used. 80.2% of the surveyed people answered the questionnaire. The results reflect the great importance that they attributed to this matter, with a priority for those more used in everyday practice and those less specialized (capacity for communicating with patients, patient-physician relationship). The usefulness of these questionnaires as a preliminary step to any educational program for family physicians is emphasized. In addition, education in mental health is considered necessary, orienting the contents of the program to the aspects more valued and used by these physicians.