The European journal of general practice
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Screening is advocated to improve the recognition of patients with major depression in primary care. Furthermore, disease management programmes are advocated to improve the quality of care and outcome for these patients. But is screening and the subsequent implementation of a disease management programme more effective than usual care? ⋯ The results of disease management programmes for major depression in primary care that include screening are positive and are more effective than usual care. Therefore, if proceeded by screening, attention to the whole process of care for patients with major depression instead of paying attention to isolated elements of the process is justified.
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Due to concerns about both costs and drug resistance, reducing antibiotic prescribing is a strategic aim for the UK National Health Service. A nationwide public education campaign launched in October 1999 (CATNAP) addressed this. The objectives were 1) to assess public attitudes to antibiotic use in a district with high antibiotic prescribing where a nationwide public education campaign was locally enhanced; 2) to assess the impact of the campaign on prescribing of antibiotics locally. ⋯ Using this study design and this method of locally enhancing a public education campaign, the locally enhanced campaign did not appear to influence the public's attitudes towards antibiotic prescribing in an area of high prescribing. Assessment of the attitudes of those who had definitely been exposed to the campaign and its messages to, and by, GPs might be more likely to produce a demonstrable change in attitudes.