ArticleThe British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners2006
Patients' experiences of GP consultations for psychological problems: a qualitative study.
Article in The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 2006. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 49 citations in OpenAlex.
- Barriers and facilitators to GP-patient communication about emotional concerns in UK primary care: a systematic review.Family practice · 2020Pooled it
- Effectiveness of empathy in general practice: a systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2013Pooled it
- "International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2025Article
- Managing consultation duration in primary care: A systematic review with health equity insights.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2025Review
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- People with type 2 diabetes' experiences of emotional support in Australian general practice: a qualitative study.BJGP open · 2022Article
- Burnout as a Mediator in the Relationship between Work-Life Balance and Empathy in Healthcare Professionals.Psychiatry investigation · 2020Article
- Patients' experiences of seeking help for emotional concerns in primary care: doctor as drug, detective and collaborator.BMC family practice · 2020Article
- Prioritising physical and psychological symptoms: what are the barriers and facilitators to the discussion of anxiety in the primary care consultation?BMC family practice · 2019Article
- Identifying barriers to mental health help-seeking among young adults in the UK: a cross-sectional survey.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2016Article
- Differential stigmatizing attitudes of healthcare professionals towards psychiatry and patients with mental health problems: something to worry about? A pilot study.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2015Article
- Facilitating understanding of mental health problems in GP consultations: a qualitative study using taped-assisted recall.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2010Article
- It's all about recognition! Qualitative study of the value of interpersonal continuity in general practice.BMC family practice · 2009Article
- What do patients choose to tell their doctors? Qualitative analysis of potential barriers to reattributing medically unexplained symptoms.Journal of general internal medicine · 2009Article
- Up close and personal? Continuing pressure on the doctor-patient relationship in the QOF era.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2006Article
- Medical Students' Empathy Level Differences by Medical Year, Gender, and Specialty Interest in Akdeniz University.Journal of medical education and curricular developmentArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe vast majority of patients with psychological problems are seen solely by their GP, but little is known about patients' perspectives regarding the variety of consultation skills that may be used in routine GP consultations with these patients.
aimTo identify which aspects of GP consultations patients presenting with psychological problems experience as helpful or unhelpful.
designQualitative study.
settingNine general practices in north central London.
methodTwenty patients, who had discussed psychological problems as a significant part of their index GP consultation, were asked in detail using the tape-assisted recall (TAR) method, about aspects of the consultation they had experienced as helpful or unhelpful.
resultsAll patients described how the relationship with the GP helped or hindered them in discussing their problems; this was central to their experience of the consultation. An underlying attitude of genuine interest and empathy, within a continuing relationship, was highly valued. Patients also described how the GP helped them make sense of, or resolve their problems, and supported their efforts to change.
conclusionThese patient accounts suggest that routine GP consultations for psychological problems can have a powerful impact, at least short-term. The GP role in providing a safe place where patients feel they are listened to and understood should not be underestimated, particularly in the mental health context. Further research is required to investigate the longer-term impact of different GP behaviours on patient health outcomes. The TAR method has potential applications in primary care research and in the training of GPs and other health professionals.
Indexed as
Identifiers
16834875PMC1872059W1936155884What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.