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Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
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Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Kaj Sparle Christensen, Aarhus University,
- Second opponent: Professor Line Iden Berge, University of Bergen,
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor Per Olav Vandvik, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Mette Brekke, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Professor Erik L. Werner, University of Oslo
Summary
Depression among older adults is common in general practice but often remains unrecognised and insufficiently treated. This thesis examined the prevalence and recognition of depressive symptoms in older patients in Norwegian general practice and explored whether collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and geriatric psychiatrists through joint consultations could improve care.
A cross-sectional study showed that 11.4% of patients aged ≥65 years had moderate or more severe depressive symptoms. Among patients with moderate depressive symptoms, more than two-thirds did not discuss mental health during consultations, and in nearly one-third of cases the depression was not recognised by the GP.
A cluster randomised intervention study evaluated joint consultations between GPs and geriatric psychiatrists. Although the intervention group showed a tendency toward greater improvement than the control group, the results were not statistically significant.
Focus group interviews with participating physicians identified time pressure and patients’ somatic focus as barriers to recognising depression. Participants also experienced the joint consultations as valuable for strengthening both interprofessional collaboration and the doctor–patient relationship.
Overall, the findings illustrate the complexity of managing late-life depression in general practice.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.