Second edition. Casey PR. 276 pages. Wrightson Biomedical Publishing; 1997. $39.00. ISBN 1871816335. Order phone
Field of medicine: Primary care and internal medicine.
Audience: Primary care physicians and medical and nursing students.
Purpose: To provide an overview of current research on and issues related to psychiatry in primary care practice.
Content: This second edition integrates changes that have occurred in the field of psychiatry since the first edition was published in 1990. Specifically, recent information on newer antidepressants, anxiety disorders, the effects of sexual abuse, and legal issues in mental health is included.
Highlights: Succinct descriptions and the parallel organization of each subject area make for easy reference. Simple language and case examples facilitate comprehension. Each chapter includes a list of suggested readings, one for the physician and the other for the patient, and addresses for informational resources. A chapter exploring the stresses facing the primary care physician is timely.
Limitations: The brevity of information exposes a tendency toward absolutes and underscores the potential complexity of psychiatric disturbances. Several typographical errors appear throughout the book, but it is well written.
Context: A literature search combining primary care and psychiatry uncovers many articles and books on the need for restructuring the relationship between the two disciplines. Although some publications discuss the importance of increased psychiatric education for primary care physicians, this book actually gives general practitioners the information they need to function as primary care psychiatrists.
Reviewer: Kelly Arduino, MA, LCPC, Rush Primary Care Institute, Chicago, Illinois.
Commentary: Given the many changes that psychiatry and primary care have undergone since 1990, this new edition is more than justified. Evidence that many primary care physicians are not adequately diagnosing and identifying mental health problems emphasizes the need for psychiatric education. As medical schools adjust to meet the demanding educational needs of today's primary care physicians, this book fills part of the gap between what is expected and what is taught.
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