Teens that struggle with depression and receive treatment from their primary care physician may not be getting the treatment they need. A study released by RAND Health showed that primary care physicians appropriately adhered to just one third of the 20 quality measures studied.

"The study also found that patients who received better-quality care reported fewer symptoms of depression up to two years after the start of treatment. The findings are among the first linking quality guidelines for depression treatment with improved patient outcomes in community settings."

While primary care physicians were good at diagnosing and initiating treatment for depression, their follow-up treatment was poor.

The Aspen Institute for Behavioral Assessment can provide a psychological evaluation, an emotional behavior disorder diagnosis, and a psychosocial assessment.

Labels: depression, diagnosis, treatment_programs