Knowledge of Psychotropics and Prescribing Preferences of Family Physicians: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Family doctors often provide care for their patients' mental health needs. This study was designed to survey their opinions and actual practice of providing mental health care, specifically, prescribing psychotropic medication to outpatients with mild/moderate mental health disorders. A group of 241 family medicine faculty and residents completed a self-administered survey designed to evaluate their comfort level with providing brief office counseling and psychotropic medication to their patients with mental health disorders. The majority of the sample reported that they prescribe psychotropic medication to their patients, despite often assessing their knowledge of psychotropics as absent or marginal. Most of the sample expressed strong interest in learning more about prescribing psychiatric medications. Results of the study suggest the need for improved training of family physicians who often prescribe psychiatric medications for outpatients with mental health disorders.