To examine the care provided by general practitioners (GPs) for persistent depressive illness and its relationship to patient, illness and consultation characteristics.

Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Primary Health Care Version (CIDI-PHC) a sample of 264 patients with ICD-10 depression was identified among consecutive primary care patients in the Netherlands. At 1-year follow-up 78 of these patients (30%) still fulfilled the criteria of an ICD-10 depression and were considered persistent cases. At baseline and follow-up the GPs specified their diagnosis and treatment. The extent of recognition as a mental health problem, accuracy of diagnosis as a depression and treatment in accordance with clinical guidelines for depression was examined. In addition it was examined whether these steps in adequate GP care for persistent depression were related to patient, illness and consultation characteristics.

Twenty percent of the persistent depression cases were not recognized at baseline or during follow-up, 28% was recognized but not accurately diagnosed, 17% was accurately diagnosed, but did not receive adequate treatment and 35% was treated adequately. Recognition was associated with psychological reason for encounter; accurate diagnosis with absence of activity limitation days; and adequate treatment with severity of depression and higher educational level.

Non-recognition, misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment are not limited to patients with a relatively mild and brief depression but are also prominent in patients with a persistent depression, who consulted their GP 8.2 times on average during the year their depression persisted.

The reasons for the high prevalence of depressive disorders in women of Pakistani origin living in the UK are not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the relative importance of life events, chronic social difficulties and acculturation in a population-based sample of British Pakistani women.

A cross-sectional and prospective cohort study of 18- to 65-year-old Pakistani women in UK was carried out. The Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry for diagnosis, the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule for social stress and an acculturation questionnaire were used.

Depressive disorder at baseline was associated with older age, social isolation and marked difficulties involving health and close relationships. Depressive disorder at follow-up was associated with severity of depression at baseline, difficulties in close relationships and two aspects of acculturation, especially less acculturation in relation to use of the English language.

Lack of acculturation, especially less familiarity with the English language, is an independent predictor of persistence of depression in Pakistani women in UK. This needs to be taken into consideration when planning treatment, which also needs to address the personal difficulties associated with persistent depression. The implication of this work is that women of Pakistani origin with depression should be encouraged to receive help in the use of English as one part of treatment that may prevent relapse.