Perceptions of physicians on the use of screening tools for mental disorders in primary health care in Brazil.

Aim: This study aimed to analyse perceptions, knowledge and ways of incorporating screening tools for mental disorders (MDs) into the daily practice of physicians working in primary health care (PHC) in the Brazilian public health system.

Methods: This is a descriptive qualitative study with a sample of 24 physicians. The data collected in the semi-structured interviews were subjected to reflective thematic analysis.

Results: The use of screening tools was low, not only due to lack of knowledge, but also due to reasoned criticism of this strategy developed by physicians trained in PHC. Physicians also presented a scenario of chaos, work overload and the fragility of the psychosocial care network as barriers to effective care of patients with MDs and to the incorporation of innovations in this care.

Conclusions: Interventions aimed at improving the quality of mental health care should include training on the topic, (re)organizing work processes, strengthening the health care network and producing robust scientific evidence on interventions aimed at qualifying professionals in mental health in PHC.