Family and Community Medicine as source of Mental Health Care

Abstract

During the Seventh Iberoamerican Summit of Family Medicine, Cali Colombia 2018, the Mental Health (MH) working group reflected on how Family Medicine (FM) can act to support people facing stressful situations in daily life as well as in conflicts (armed/unarmed), emergencies and natural disasters. Descriptive cross-sectional study, based on a survey of 42 questions to 99 Iberoamerican health professionals from 15 countries; 98 physicians and 1 psychologist. 8% residents of family medicine, 85% family physicians (FP), 4% general doctors, 2% psychiatrists and 1% internists. 47% of physicians perceive as good the ability of FP in the approach to MH. Concerning the MH problems observed, 30% where anxiety disorder, 27% depression, 17% insomnia, 10% alcoholism, 7% illicit drug abuse, 5% eating disorders and 4% post-traumatic stress disorder. Wich such results, recommendations for the Cali Declaration consider the necessary MH training for Family physicians, with cost-effective self-care strategies through strengthening community work. The teachers of FP must take actions tending to the self-care of their students, to facilitate the learning process and the preparation to practice the profession in such a complex environment as the Primary Care (PC) centers or in any place based on PC strategy.