Table 4 Attitudes towards depression
From: Cascade training for scaling up care for perinatal depression in primary care in Nigeria
Depression attitudes R-DAQ items | Pre-test (N-198) | Post-test (N-198) | 6-months post-training (N-80) |
|---|---|---|---|
Professional confidence in depression care | n (%) | N (%) | N (%) |
It is rewarding to spend time looking after depressed patients | 138 (81.7) | 163 (83.6) | 65 (83.3) |
I am more comfortable working with physical illness than with mental illness like depression | 63 (36.0) | 40 (20.6) | 21 (26.6) |
My profession is well placed to assist patients with depression | 158 (88.3) | 171 (87.7) | 79 (97.5) |
I feel confident in assessing depression in patients | 139 (78.1) | 168 (86.6) | 80 (100.0) |
I feel comfortable in dealing with depressed patients’ needs | 144 (78.3) | 174 (88.8) | 77 (96.3) |
My profession is well trained to assist patients with depression | 148 (84.6) | 175 (88.4) | 77 (95.1) |
I feel confident in assessing suicide risk in patients presenting with depression | 109 (64.9) | 166 (86.5) | 68 (85.0) |
Generalist perspective about depression occurrence, recognition, and management | Â | Â | Â |
Anyone can suffer from depression | 144 (85.2) | 173 (88.7) | 76 (93.8) |
All health professionals should have skills in recognising and managing depression | 157 (89.2) | 167 (86.1) | 77 (97.5) |
Recognising and managing depression is often an important part of managing other health problems | 144 (84.7) | 174 (88.8) | 77 (96.3) |
People with depression have care needs similar to other medical conditions like diabetes, COPD or arthritis | 112 (65.9) | 151 (78.2) | 66 (83.5) |
Depression is a disease like any other (e.g. asthma, diabetes) | 64 (35.8) | 133 (68.6) | 46 (57.5) |
Therapeutic Optimism | Â | Â | Â |
One of the main causes of depression is a lack of self-discipline and will-power | 45 (25.6) | 31 (15.8) | 22 (27.5) |
Becoming depressed is a way that people with poor stamina deal with life difficulties | 66 (38.8) | 61(31.9) | 32(40.5) |
Becoming depressed is a natural part of being old | 49 (27.4) | 52 (26.9) | 24 (32.0) |
Once a person has made up their mind about taking their own life no one can stop them | 57 (33.1) | 42 (21.6) | 15 (19.0) |
Depression treatments medicalise unhappiness | 49 (27.8) | 54 (27.7) | 30 (39.0) |
Becoming depressed is a natural part of adolescence | 46 (27.2) | 46 (23.8) | 18 (22.8) |
Depression reflects a response which is not amenable to change | 56 (33.5) | 41 (21.9) | 13 (16.9) |
There is little to be offered to depressed patients who do not respond to initial treatments | 60 (36.4) | 52 (26.8) | 23 (28.8) |
Psychological therapy tends to be unsuccessful with people who are depressed | 52 (29.1) | 43 (22.5) | 19 (24.7) |