General practice management of psychological distress in patients with sexually transmissible infection
Asaduzzaman Khan A C and Margot J. Schofield BA School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
B School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Vic. 3086, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: a.khan@shrs.uq.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 15(1) 17-23 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY08060
Published: 19 March 2009
Abstract
This paper investigates general practitioners’ (GP) self-reported practices for psychologically distressed patients with sexually transmissible infections (STI). A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted among a 15% random sample of GP practising in New South Wales. The main outcome measures were self-reported strategies to deal with psychologically distressed STI patients, priority of counselling, and perceived need for training in counselling. The great majority (82%) of GP reported that they extended their consultation time to deal with psychologically distressed patients, whereas 49% reported being likely to refer distressed patients to a counsellor. Just over half (54%) considered counselling to be a high priority in STI care, whereas 49% acknowledged benefits of further training in counselling. Overseas medical graduates were more likely to refer patients in distress to counsellors compared with Australian graduates (odds ratio = 1.80, P = 0.008). Female and metropolitan GP were more likely to consider counselling a high priority in STI care (odds ratio = 1.56, P = 0.038; odds ratio = 1.62, P = 0.028, respectively). GP appreciate the need to deal with psychological distress of STI patients; however, referral to counselling services is not a widespread priority. Further research is needed to examine practitioners’ actual practice in caring for psychological distress among STI patients and barriers to referral for counselling.
Additional keyword: counselling.
Acknowledgements
We are deeply indebted to Professors David Plummer, Rafat Hussain and Victor Minichiello for their valuable inputs in developing and implementing the survey. We are also grateful to Dr David Bradford, Past President of the Australasian College of Sexual Health Physicians, for his support and valuable advice during the study. Our thanks also go to Drs Suzanne Robertson, Elizabeth Pringle, Miriam Grotowski and Jan Browne for their valuable input in developing the study instruments. We are very grateful to all GP who participated in the study. An Institutional Research Grant from the University of New England supported the study.
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