The Importance of Mental Health Screening in Primary Care

A good mental health is an integral part of an individual’s overall health and quality of life, yet often remains unspoken about and untreated due to the stigma attached and lack of awareness of mental health awareness. Incorporating mental health screening in primary care settings ensures an early diagnosis and treatment, leading to faster recovery and reduced mental health care burdens.

Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care Settings

Rate of Occurrence of Mental Health Issues in a Primary Care: Mental health disorders like depression, personality disorders, anxiety and substance use disorders are widely prevalent in a primary health care. Studies show that around 25- 30% of patients in a primary health care setup are diagnosed with one or the other mental disorder.

Underreporting of Mental Health Disorders in a Hospital: Many individuals report physical difficulties which may have mental health disturbances as an underlying cause, often leading to missed diagnosis. For example, nausea and vomiting may indicate anxiety disorder or depression, but may often go unnoticed without proper screening.

Types of Mental Health Screening Tools Used in a Primary Health Care Centre

The most common types of screening tools used in a primary care hospital are as follows:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD- 7) for Screening at Primary Hospital: GAD- 7 is used in a psychiatric hospital for the screening of generalized anxiety disorder. This scale helps the primary health care providers to detect early onset of anxiety and monitor its progress.
2. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ- 9) Used in a Mental Hospital: This questionnaire is commonly used in a mental health clinic for detecting depression in patients. It is highly effective in identifying the various levels of symptoms of depression.
3. Other Screening Tools Used in a Primary Health Care: Questionnaires such as Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) for bipolar disorder and CAGE questionnaire for substance addiction are also used in identifying the specific types of conditions.

Benefits of Mental Health Screening Tools for Disorders in a Mental Hospital

The common benefits of mental health screening for disorders at a near me psychiatric hospital are as follows:

1. Helps to Detect Disorders at an Early Stage: Mental health screening tools at a psychiatric hospital help to detect disorders early, allowing for timely treatment plan and intervention and reduces the chance of worsening the condition.
2. Provides Better Treatment Outcome for Patients at a Primary Care Centre: Mental health screening tools improve the treatment outcome of mental disorders, thereby, reducing the risk of comorbid conditions or any other higher mental dysfunction.
3. Mental Health Screening Tools Helps to Reduce the Physical and Mental Health Burden: Mental health disorders like depression and anxiety can lead to physical health issues like fatigue and nausea. Using the screening tools helps address both these factors by improving the overall quality of life of the individual.

Addressing Mental Health Stigma in Primary Care Hospitals

1. Normalizing Mental Health Issues: Regular screening of mental health disorders can help reduce the stigma which is attached to mental illness and seeking treatment, encouraging patients to talk about their specific concerns.
2. Building Trust Among Individuals: Patients are more likely to trust primary care hospitals as compared to psychiatric care clinic, as a result they may accept the treatment process and participate in follow up procedures.

Challenges in Implementing Mental Health Screening in Primary Care Hospitals

Even though primary care centres are working towards implementing mental health screening, however, some of the challenges may make it difficult for a smooth process. Those challenges are:

1. Time Constraints in Primary Care Centre: Primary care providers often faces time shortage for patient visits, at the same time, implementing mental health screening can lengthen consultation. However, efficient tool such as GAD- 7 and PHQ- 9 take shorter period of time and can be administered with the help of support staffs at a psychiatric clinic.
2. Lack of Training of Staffs at a Primary Hospital: Some primary care providers may not be well equipped with the tools and techniques and also the way to address mental health difficulties. However, by extensive training, providers can overcome this challenge and offer mental health screening independently.
3. Referral Systems at a Mental Health Ward: Ensuring a seamless referral system in some mental health clinics can be difficult. Strengthening collaborative care models and proper communication between providers and seekers can help overcome this difficulty.

Recommendations for Successful Implementation of Treatment at a Primary Hospital

The following recommendations can be suggested for the successful implementation of treatment at a primary health centre:

1. Use of Standardized Screening Tools at a Primary Facility: Implementing easy and validated screening tools that can be administered quickly and scored accurately in a mental health hospital may provide a better treatment outcome at a mental disorder hospital.
2. Routine Mental Health Screening at a Primary Care Centre: Mental health screening should be a routine part pf primary health care checkup for all individuals. This will ensure that no patients are remained as undiagnosed or mistreated.
3. Training Facility at a Mental Health Centre: Training mental health care staffs to identify and manage mental health conditions and also by teaching them with the basic knowledge to handle mental health care needs is highly important for successful treatment outcome.
4. Collaborative Networks to Help the Process of Treatment: Building networks of mental health professionals, ensuring that primary care centres have access to professionals during the time of need is crucial for further treatment.

Athena Behavioural Health as the Best Mental Health Treatment Centre

Athena Behavioural Health in Delhi, Gurgaon, India recognizes that effective mental health care starts with the early diagnosis and treatment outcome. As a result, many mental health clinics have started with the screening using specific tools to provide comprehensive assessment into routine checkups. This helps to ensure that mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues are identified properly. This approach does not only enhance treatment outcome but also helps to reduce stigma attached and improve the access to necessary care required. The best treatment centre for mental disorder is committed to provide support to primary care providers in delivering extensive and patient centered individualized care that contributes to overall well- being and quality of life. To contact Athena, dial at +91 92890 86193 or email at customercare@athenabhs.com.

Conclusion

Mental health screening in primary care settings is crucial for early detection and management of mental health conditions. Primary care providers by integrating mental health assessments into routine care, can offer individualized treatment to improve both mental and physical health conditions. This not only helps to reduce the social burden of untreated and misdiagnosed mental disorders but also enhances the efficiency and better treatment outcome of mental health care. Overcoming the challenges of implementation, like time shortage and referral systems, can lead to a more integrated health care outcome, benefitting patients, providers and society as a whole.

FAQ

1. Can mental health screening be used for children and adolescents?

Yes, mental health screening can be used for children and adolescents. Age- appropriate screening tools can help identify mental health issues in adolescents and children, giving room for early intervention.

2. How does mental health screening differ from routine physical examination?

Mental health screening assesses psychological state of a person using tools and questionnaires to identify the specific mental health conditions. Whereas, physical examination focuses on only the physical health of the individual.

3. Can mental health screening be performed virtually or remotely?

Yes, many screening tools are available online and can be used remotely or in telehealth setting. This allows for accurate mental health assessment without in person visit.

4. Is there any side effect or risk associated with using mental disorder tools?

Mental disorder tools are usually safe and non- invasive. However, the only risk associated is the accurate interpretation of results and appropriate follow up care.

5. Can mental disorder help identify substance use disorders?

Yes, certain tools such as CAGE questionnaire can be used for the screening of substance use disorders and are often implemented in a primary care centre.