The ability of general practitioners to detect mental disorders among primary care patients in a stressful environment: Gaza Strip.

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the detection rate by general practitioners (GPs) of mental disorders in a primary health care setting and relating the findings to selected GP characteristics and the patient sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods: The patients were assessed with respect to mental disorders by Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25 (HSCL-25), and the GPs were independently asked to fill in the Goldberg checklist II to assess the patient after consultation. The sample consisted of 10 primary health care clinics in the Gaza Strip, which were randomly selected from the five regions that form the Gaza Strip (Northern, Southern region, Gaza City, Middle region, Khan-Younis and Rafah).