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Obstacles in Managing Mental Health Problems for Primary Care Physicians in Hong Kong

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Abstract

This study investigated the obstacles for primary care physicians (PCPs) to managing mental health problems in Hong Kong. Focus group data collected from PCPs and psychiatrists were used to construct a questionnaire for a quantitative survey with 516 PCPs respondents. The results showed that their commonly perceived obstacles were lack of timely access to public psychiatrists, lack of feedback from both public and private psychiatrists after referrals; as well as patients’ reluctance to be referred. Factor analysis and correlational analysis found that the numbers of mental health patients treated by the PCPs were mainly determined by the PCPs’ own clinical constraints, including limited confidence in diagnosis and management, time constraint, and limited job satisfaction.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by Committee on Research and Conference Grants of The University of Hong Kong [Grant Number 10401224].

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, The University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Ap Lei Chau Clinic, 161 Main Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong

    Kai Sing Sun, Tai Pong Lam & Tak Lam Lo

  2. Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

    Kwok Fai Lam

  3. Kwai Chung Hospital, Kwai Chung, Hong Kong

    Tak Lam Lo

Authors
  1. Kai Sing Sun
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  2. Tai Pong Lam
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  3. Kwok Fai Lam
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  4. Tak Lam Lo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tai Pong Lam.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 4.

Table 4 Rotated factor loading
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Sun, K.S., Lam, T.P., Lam, K.F. et al. Obstacles in Managing Mental Health Problems for Primary Care Physicians in Hong Kong. Adm Policy Ment Health 42, 714–722 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0605-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0605-x

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