Primary Care Doctors Routinely Miss Signs Of Depression

Primary care physicians don’t recognize depression about half the time and misdiagnose it in 19 percent of healthy people, new research finds.

Most people turn to their physician when faced with depression rather than a psychologist or other mental health provider, but in a review of 41 studies including over 50,000 patients, researchers found that general practitioners often misdiagnose the disorder.

Why? In an article published Thursday in the journal The Lancet, researchers suggest that short doctor visits may be to blame. People are often reluctant to talk about depression and it can be difficult to pick up on the signs within the few minutes that doctors typically meet with patients. But, researchers found that doctors are more likely to identify the condition if patients come for follow-up visits within a year.

About one in five Americans will likely experience depression in their lifetime, reports Time Magazine. To read more click here.