Table 3 Selected treatment aspects

Applied treatments (18) ^a:

Expectations (17):

   Therapeutic talk and psychopharmacological medication (14)

   Be listened to, conversation about the problems, be taken seriously, sympathy (10)

   Mainly supporting therapeutic talk (7)

   Suggestion of concrete treatments (5)

   Mainly psychopharmacological medication (3)

- Medication (3)

- Referral to psychologist (1)

- Symptom relief (1)

   Advice how to deal with symptoms (2)

Topics of conversation (13):

Treatment Preferences (20):

   Possible individual causes for depression (6)

   Psychotherapy (6)

   Relaxation techniques (1)

   No Psychotherapy (4)

   Psychoeducation (1)

   Psychopharmacological treatment (4)

   Activation (1)

   No pharmacological treatment (6)

   Reduction of excessive demands (1)

   Resource orientation (1)

   Self-worth enhancement (1)

   Concrete behavioural advises (1)

Treatment problems (18):

Satisfaction (20):

   Yes (10)

   Satisfied with treatment (14)

- Patients' refusal of pharmacological therapy or non-compliance (5)

   Not satisfied with treatment (6) for following reasons:

- GPs' insecurity with pharmacological treatment (3)

- Not enough time (2)

- Motivating the patient to use offers for counselling or psychotherapy (3)

- Insufficient communication between GP and practice nurse (1)

- Insufficient efficiency of treatment (3)

- Not taking somatic complaints seriously and not offering special treatments such as physical therapy (1)

- Patients' acceptance of the diagnosis (2)

- Not taking presented complaint (fatigue) seriously and not offering concrete treatment besides exercising (1)

- Problems with appointments for referral (2)

- Not addressing depression in more detail, e.g. by applying a questionnaire (1)

- Heightened utilization of primary care (2)

- Personal strain due to insufficient efficiency of treatment and perceived lack of competence (2)

- Lack of time (1)

- Financial losses because of time consuming psychological diagnosis (1)

   No (8)