{"title":"新加坡全科医生对晚年抑郁症的看法定性研究--第一部分:病人的表现和行为","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101170","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Detection and management of late-life depression largely relies on primary care. Yet in Singapore, older adults are unlikely to seek help for their mental health from their primary care providers. This qualitative descriptive study explores how late-life depression manifests to general practitioners (GPs) in the Singaporean primary care setting.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Twenty-eight private GPs practicing in Singapore were asked about their clinical experience with late-life depression during semi-structured group and individual discussions conducted online. Participants were purposively sampled across age, gender, and ethnicity (Chinese, Malay, Indian). Transcripts were analysed with reflexive thematic analysis.</p></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><p>To GPs, depression in older patients often manifests through somatic symptoms or subtle behavioural changes, only detectable through follow-ups or collateral history. GPs reported that older patients attribute depressive symptoms to normal ageing or do not mention them, particularly within an Asian culture encouraging stoic endurance. GPs perceived late-life depression as reactions to ageing-related stressors, with male, low-income, or institutionalised patients being at particular risk of insidious, severe depression. GPs noted ethnic differences regarding families’ involvement in care, which they described as helpful, but sometimes stress-provoking for patients. Fear of burdensomeness or loss of autonomy/social role could prompt rejection of diagnosis and treatment in patients. GPs considered good patient-doctor rapport as a facilitator at every step of the care process, noting more favourable prognosis in care-concordant patients.</p></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><p>Depression in older adults in Singapore can be covert, with favourable outcomes relying on GPs’ ability to pick up on subtle changes, assess patients holistically, and build rapport with patients and families.</p></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><p>This work was funded by the <span>Division of Family Medicine Research Capabilities Building Budget</span> under the project “<span>Technology and Compassion: Improving Patient Outcomes Through Data Analytics and Patients’ Voice in Primary Care</span>” [<span><span>NUHSRO/2022/049/NUSMed/DFM</span></span>].</p></div>","PeriodicalId":22792,"journal":{"name":"The Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606524001640/pdfft?md5=bfaafc44b8be72fc36d42e63bf01beb5&pid=1-s2.0-S2666606524001640-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"A qualitative study on general practitioners’ perspectives on late-life depression in Singapore—part I: patient presentations and behaviours\",\"authors\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101170\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Detection and management of late-life depression largely relies on primary care. Yet in Singapore, older adults are unlikely to seek help for their mental health from their primary care providers. This qualitative descriptive study explores how late-life depression manifests to general practitioners (GPs) in the Singaporean primary care setting.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Twenty-eight private GPs practicing in Singapore were asked about their clinical experience with late-life depression during semi-structured group and individual discussions conducted online. Participants were purposively sampled across age, gender, and ethnicity (Chinese, Malay, Indian). Transcripts were analysed with reflexive thematic analysis.</p></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><p>To GPs, depression in older patients often manifests through somatic symptoms or subtle behavioural changes, only detectable through follow-ups or collateral history. GPs reported that older patients attribute depressive symptoms to normal ageing or do not mention them, particularly within an Asian culture encouraging stoic endurance. GPs perceived late-life depression as reactions to ageing-related stressors, with male, low-income, or institutionalised patients being at particular risk of insidious, severe depression. GPs noted ethnic differences regarding families’ involvement in care, which they described as helpful, but sometimes stress-provoking for patients. Fear of burdensomeness or loss of autonomy/social role could prompt rejection of diagnosis and treatment in patients. GPs considered good patient-doctor rapport as a facilitator at every step of the care process, noting more favourable prognosis in care-concordant patients.</p></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><p>Depression in older adults in Singapore can be covert, with favourable outcomes relying on GPs’ ability to pick up on subtle changes, assess patients holistically, and build rapport with patients and families.</p></div><div><h3>Funding</h3><p>This work was funded by the <span>Division of Family Medicine Research Capabilities Building Budget</span> under the project “<span>Technology and Compassion: Improving Patient Outcomes Through Data Analytics and Patients’ Voice in Primary Care</span>” [<span><span>NUHSRO/2022/049/NUSMed/DFM</span></span>].</p></div>\",\"PeriodicalId\":22792,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"The Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific\",\"volume\":null,\"pages\":null},\"PeriodicalIF\":7.6000,\"publicationDate\":\"2024-08-12\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606524001640/pdfft?md5=bfaafc44b8be72fc36d42e63bf01beb5&pid=1-s2.0-S2666606524001640-main.pdf\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"The Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"3\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606524001640\",\"RegionNum\":1,\"RegionCategory\":\"医学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q1\",\"JCRName\":\"HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"The Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666606524001640","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES","Score":null,"Total":0}
A qualitative study on general practitioners’ perspectives on late-life depression in Singapore—part I: patient presentations and behaviours
Background
Detection and management of late-life depression largely relies on primary care. Yet in Singapore, older adults are unlikely to seek help for their mental health from their primary care providers. This qualitative descriptive study explores how late-life depression manifests to general practitioners (GPs) in the Singaporean primary care setting.
Methods
Twenty-eight private GPs practicing in Singapore were asked about their clinical experience with late-life depression during semi-structured group and individual discussions conducted online. Participants were purposively sampled across age, gender, and ethnicity (Chinese, Malay, Indian). Transcripts were analysed with reflexive thematic analysis.
Findings
To GPs, depression in older patients often manifests through somatic symptoms or subtle behavioural changes, only detectable through follow-ups or collateral history. GPs reported that older patients attribute depressive symptoms to normal ageing or do not mention them, particularly within an Asian culture encouraging stoic endurance. GPs perceived late-life depression as reactions to ageing-related stressors, with male, low-income, or institutionalised patients being at particular risk of insidious, severe depression. GPs noted ethnic differences regarding families’ involvement in care, which they described as helpful, but sometimes stress-provoking for patients. Fear of burdensomeness or loss of autonomy/social role could prompt rejection of diagnosis and treatment in patients. GPs considered good patient-doctor rapport as a facilitator at every step of the care process, noting more favourable prognosis in care-concordant patients.
Interpretation
Depression in older adults in Singapore can be covert, with favourable outcomes relying on GPs’ ability to pick up on subtle changes, assess patients holistically, and build rapport with patients and families.
Funding
This work was funded by the Division of Family Medicine Research Capabilities Building Budget under the project “Technology and Compassion: Improving Patient Outcomes Through Data Analytics and Patients’ Voice in Primary Care” [NUHSRO/2022/049/NUSMed/DFM].
期刊介绍:
The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, a gold open access journal, is an integral part of The Lancet's global initiative advocating for healthcare quality and access worldwide. It aims to advance clinical practice and health policy in the Western Pacific region, contributing to enhanced health outcomes. The journal publishes high-quality original research shedding light on clinical practice and health policy in the region. It also includes reviews, commentaries, and opinion pieces covering diverse regional health topics, such as infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, child and adolescent health, maternal and reproductive health, aging health, mental health, the health workforce and systems, and health policy.