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Fears About Confidentiality Put Off Doctors From Accessing Mental Health Services

August 19, 2009 by

A majority of doctors would avoid seeking professional advice for mental health issues in an outpatient setting, according to a new survey published by the Royal College of Physicians in the journal Clinical Medicine. Nearly three quarters of respondents said they would rather discuss mental health problems with family or friends, than seek formal or informal advice, citing reasons such as career implications, professional integrity, and perceived stigma of mental health problems.