General practitioners' experiences of providing lifestyle advice to patients with depression: A qualitative focus group study.

Astaire, Emma, Jennings, Laura, Khundakar, Martina, Silverio, Sergio A ORCID: 0000-0001-7177-3471 and Flynn, Angela C (2024) General practitioners' experiences of providing lifestyle advice to patients with depression: A qualitative focus group study. PloS one, 19 (3). e0299934-e0299934. ISSN 1932-6203, 1932-6203

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.

Abstract

<h4>Objective</h4>Depression is an increasingly common mental health disorder in the UK, managed predominantly in the community by GPs. Emerging evidence suggests lifestyle medicine is a key component in the management of depression. We aimed to explore GPs' experiences, attitudes, and challenges to providing lifestyle advice to patients with depression.<h4>Method</h4>Focus groups were conducted virtually with UK GPs (May-July 2022). A topic guide facilitated the discussion and included questions on experiences, current practices, competence, challenges, and service provision. Data were analysed using template analysis.<h4>Results</h4>'Supporting Effective Conversations'; 'Willing, but Blocked from Establishing Relational Care'; 'Working Towards Patient Empowerment'; and 'Control Over the Prognosis' were all elements of how individualised lifestyle advice was key to the management of depression. Establishing a doctor-patient relationship by building trust and rapport was fundamental to having effective conversations about lifestyle behaviours. Empowering patients to make positive lifestyle changes required tailoring advice using a patient-centred approach. Confidence varied across participants, depending on education, experience, type of patient, and severity of depression.<h4>Conclusions</h4>GPs play an important role in managing depression using lifestyle medicine and a patient-centred approach. Organisational and educational changes are necessary to facilitate GPs in providing optimal care to patients with depression.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Humans, Focus Groups, Attitude of Health Personnel, Depression, Physician-Patient Relations, Life Style, Qualitative Research, General Practitioners
Divisions:	Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Population Health
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	26 Mar 2024 10:38
Last Modified:	28 Feb 2026 16:39
DOI:	10.1371/journal.pone.0299934
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299934
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3179955
Disclaimer:	The University of Liverpool is not responsible for content contained on other websites from links within repository metadata. Please contact us if you notice anything that appears incorrect or inappropriate.