Mental health screening of adults in primary care

Artistic illustration of a large crowd composed of stylized human figures in various colors and shapes. A magnifying glass at the center highlights a section of the crowd, making individual people more visible. The image symbolizes population analysis, health research, patient cohorts, data analytics, or the identification of specific target groups within a larger population.
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Project Lead: Inanna Reinsperger
Author:  Julia Kern-Kim
Publication: November 2024
Language: English (with German summary)

With approximately one in five Austrian adults affected by mental illness annually, primarily depression (10%), anxiety disorders (7%), and substance use disorders (12%), screening in primary care settings could help identify and treat affected individuals early. Based on systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines, this report analyses the evidence for mental health screening in primary care, identifies available screening tools, and discusses the requirements for implementing screening.

 

AIHTA Project Report No. 159