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Evaluation of Integrated Psychological Services in a University-Based Primary Care Clinic

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Abstract

Primary care is increasingly moving toward integration of psychological services; however few studies have been conducted to test the efficacy of such an integrated approach. This paper presents a program evaluation of psychological services provided by doctoral trainees in clinical and counseling psychology within a primary care clinic at an urban academic medical center. It includes: (1) a description of the program, including types of patients served, their presenting problems, and treatments administered and; (2) evidence of the impact of behavioral health services on primary care patients’ emotional adjustment and progress on behavioral goals. Intake and follow-up measures of depression, anxiety, smoking, insomnia, chronic pain, and weight loss were collected on 452 adult patients (mean age = 52; 59 % African-American; 35 % uninsured) who were provided brief interventions (mean visits = 2.2) over a 16-month period. Although conclusions are limited by the lack of a control or comparison group, preliminary findings indicate that the integrated behavioral health services provided were effective. Implications and future directions are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The clinical service described in this paper was supported by a grant from the Virginia Health Care Foundation and a Health Resources and Services Administration Graduate Psychology Education program grant #D40HP19638.

Conflicts of interest

Elizabeth Sadock, Stephen M. Auerbach, Bruce Rybarczyk, and Arpita Aggarwal declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 806 West Franklin Street, PO Box 842018, 23284-2018, Richmond, VA, USA

    Elizabeth Sadock, Stephen M. Auerbach & Bruce Rybarczyk

  2. Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA

    Arpita Aggarwal

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  1. Elizabeth Sadock
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Sadock, E., Auerbach, S.M., Rybarczyk, B. et al. Evaluation of Integrated Psychological Services in a University-Based Primary Care Clinic. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 21, 19–32 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-013-9378-8

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