Tuesday, October 14, 2003

A Web-Based Screening Instrument for Depression and Anxiety Disorders in Primary Care
Called to our attention in CMHA-Ontario's Mental Health Notes, this article in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (authored by researchers affiliated Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health)reports "preliminary validation data for a freely-available, brief, Web-based, self-report screener for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders." The Mental Health Notes item indicates that "Researchers view the report as a way to initiate and encourage a discussion of anxiety and depression symptoms between patients and health care professionals, as general practitioners tend to provide first-line treatment for mental health problems" - and that "a potential conflict of interest is declared by lead researcher Dr. Peter Farvolden, who is a paid consultant to Van Mierlo Communications Consulting Inc, owners of the Web-based depression and anxiety test content and software." The depression test is available at www.depressioncenter.net/depressiontest. An alternate version, with questions about anxiety disorders appearing first, is available at www.paniccenter.net/anxietytest.  
  

Mental Health Notes: Public Issues
A new section in the CMHA-Ontario weekly newsletter, Mental Health Notes - "In response to the positive comments we have received about the election section on the CMHA, Ontario website and our election newsletter, we are introducing a new section of Mental Health Notes. The Public Issues section is intended to encourage and inform public discussion about issues that are important to people with mental illness, their families, service providers, and the community as a whole..." This week, highlights in this section include Release of Mental Health Implementation Task Force reports expected and Poll shows public support for funding mental health services. See also the Election Centre web site, first noted here in early September.