The Article in Brief

Exploring and Validating Patient Concerns: Relation to Prescribing for Depression

Ronald M. Epstein, MD , and colleagues

Background There are inconsistencies in the prescription of antidepressants in the primary care office. Some patients with major depression do not receive medications while others with less clear symptoms do. This study set out to understand the relationship between the ways in which patients and doctors communicate and decisions to prescribe depression medications.

What This Study Found When doctors explore and confirm patient concerns--including patient symptoms, ideas, expectations, ability to function, and feelings¯they are more likely to prescribe antidepressants for patients who will likely benefit from them, and less likely to prescribe them for patients whose need for the medication is not clear.

Implications

• Exploring and validating patient concerns is linked to quality of care for depression.
• This is one of the first published studies to link doctors’ communication with appropriateness of prescribing medication.