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Evaluation within EAAD Attitudes, knowledge
Attitudes, knowledge - Introductory remarks
Diagnostic and therapeutic deficits on the primary care level (e.g. misinterpretation of somatised depression as physical illness) are considered to be an important reason for inadequate care of depressed persons in the community. On the other hand, stigmatization and a lack of information in the general public about affective disorders interfere with the progress in recognition and treatment of depression (Paykel et al. 1997). Representative surveys conducted in several countries repeatedly have shown negative public opinion about antidepressants and psycho-pharmacological therapy (e.g. Angermeyer & Matschinger 1996) which clearly differs from the view of health professionals (Jorm et al. 1997). Public opinion and very often the patients themselves do not regard depression as an illness but as a personal fault and disability. In addition, fears and misconceptions associated with psycho-pharmacological therapy contribute to the considerable compliance problems that aggravate the therapeutic deficit.
Given the high potential for improving the care of depressed persons by informing the general public and educating GPs and other groups of community facilitators, changes and improvements of knowledge and attitudes concerning depression and suicidality are the third area of interest of the EAAD outcome evaluation. To conduct respective surveys among the general population, GPs and other groups of community facilitators (e.g. teachers, priests, local media, etc.), a core set of items concerning attitudes and knowledge towards depression and suicidality has been defined by the project group during the 2nd general meeting. The core items asking for socio-demographic information, knowledge about causes, symptoms and treatment options of depression and attitudes towards suicidality define a common denominator of information which should be possible to be derived from the individual information assessed in a given region. Given this background, the core item set has not been primarily designed to form a ready-to-use questionnaire. Regions should feel free to utilise their own regional or national instruments – as long as it is possible to deliver the common information as defined within the EAAD core item set.
Beyond this, a more comprehensive instrument, the EAAD questionnaire on attitudes and knowledge, has been compiled including further items additionally asking for e.g. knowledge about EAAD, training process feedback and specific (optional) questions for GPs, school personnel (health personnel, teachers), police, military, church, volunteers etc. The questionnaire has been compiled by using different instruments, among those two draft questionnaires on information on cases of depression, DSH and suicidal behaviour at the GP practice and general population’s knowledge by the Irish EAAD partners (E. Arensman & M. Moore-Corry), the “Depression Attitude Questionnaire” (DAQ) by Botega & Silveira (1996) and elements of instruments provided by the Estonian EAAD partners (A. Värnik, M. Sisask). Additional comments have been provided by members of the EAAD workgroup on evaluation (R. Gusmao, G. Scheerder, C. v. Audenhove, E. Arensman, M. Moore-Corry, U. Hegerl).
The following pages provide more detailed information about surveys among different specialised target groups (e.g. GPs, medical nurses, pharmacists, priests,…) and among the general population.
References
Última Actualización: 21.07.2010
