Public awareness about the connection between depression and physical health: specifically heart disease.

The medical community continues to acknowledge a connection between depression and physical health, for example, cardiac disease. This study addresses public awareness about depression's effects on physical health, the relationship between cardiac disease and depression, and preferred sources of health information, in an effort to inform future health education programs. A survey, administered to 816 adults ages 40-69, focused on public awareness, perception of depression as an illness, its impact on other illnesses such as heart disease, and sources of health information.

Psychodynamic psychiatry in the general medical setting.

For more than half a century analytically trained psychiatrists have been making observations about psychodynamic factors impacting on medical illness and treatment. Some of these reports have been subsequently supported by evidence-based research while others have been found to be clinically useful to varying degrees even if not substantiated by research. In this article we have presented some of the highlights of the application of psychodynamics to the treatment of physical illness in the general medical setting.

A national survey of cardiovascular physicians' beliefs and clinical care practices when diagnosing and treating depression in patients with cardiovascular disease.

A national survey was administered to determine 1) cardiovascular physicians' beliefs about the association between depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD), 2) the methods used to diagnose depression, 3) referral patterns for treatment of depression, and 4) frequency of use and preferred choice of antidepressant. A national survey of 50% of randomly selected U.S.

The place of psychodynamic psychiatry in consultation-liaison psychiatry with special emphasis on countertransference.

Psychodynamic theory can be applied to all aspects of consultation-liaison work. There are various psychodynamic treatment approaches that can have a powerful meaning to the patient. This can include understanding the patient's life trajectory through the elicitation of a life narrative, understanding defense mechanisms, and utilizing the patient's fantasies about illness.