AIM To assess the self-perceived competencies in diagnosing and treating patients with mental health disorders, among recently graduated general practitioners (GPs) from Lima, Peru. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed in April 2017 at a General Practitioner's meeting held for those who were going to perform the social service, by the Peruvian College of Physicians in Lima. Attendees were invited to answer a questionnaire that evaluated their self-perception of competence in diagnosing and treating four different mental health disorders; major depression, anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence, and schizophrenia. RESULTS Out of 434 evaluated GPs, the following percentages were self-perceived as competent in their adequate diagnosis of depression (70.5%), anxiety (73.3%), alcohol dependence (67.6%), and schizophrenia (62.0%). Concerning pharmacological treatment, these percentages were 46.6, 47.5, 39.0 and 37.6%, respectively. Referring to all the studied mental disorders, 41.6% of participants self-perceived competence in providing an adequate diagnosis, 36.1% in providing non-pharmacological treatment, and 20.1% in providing pharmacological treatment. CONCLUSION The rate of adequate self-perceived competences was higher for diagnosis than for treatment of patients with mental health disorders. These results highlight the importance of designing and implementing interventions to improve medical education so as to develop the skills necessary to confront mental health disorders.

中文翻译：

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秘鲁利马全科医师在心理健康疾病诊断和治疗中的自我感知能力。

目的从秘鲁利马最近毕业的全科医生（GP）中评估精神疾病患者的自我诊断能力。方法2017年4月，在利马的秘鲁医师学院为将要从事社会服务的人举行的全科医生会议上进行了横断面研究。邀请与会者回答一份问卷，以评估他们在诊断和治疗四种不同的精神健康疾病中的能力自我感知；重度抑郁，焦虑症，酒精依赖和精神分裂症。结果在434名被评估的全科医生中，以下百分比被认为可以充分诊断抑郁症（70.5％），焦虑症（73.3％），酒精依赖（67.6％）和精神分裂症（62.0％）。在药物治疗方面，这些百分比分别为46.6、47.5、39.0和37.6％。提及所有研究的精神障碍，有41.6％的参与者自我提供了足够的诊断能力，只有36.1％的人接受了非药物治疗，而20.1％的患者接受了药物治疗。结论：对于精神健康障碍患者的诊断具有足够的自我感知能力，其诊断率更高。这些结果凸显了设计和实施干预措施以改善医学教育，发展应对精神疾病所需的技能的重要性。6％的参与者对提供足够的诊断具有自我感知的能力，提供非药物治疗的自我感知能力为36.1％，提供药物治疗的自我感知能力为20.1％。结论：对于精神健康障碍患者的诊断具有足够的自我感知能力，其诊断率更高。这些结果凸显了设计和实施干预措施以改善医学教育，发展应对精神疾病所需的技能的重要性。6％的参与者对提供足够的诊断具有自我感知的能力，提供非药物治疗的自我感知能力为36.1％，提供药物治疗的自我感知能力为20.1％。结论：对于精神健康障碍患者的诊断具有足够的自我感知能力，其诊断率更高。这些结果凸显了设计和实施干预措施以改善医学教育，发展应对精神疾病所需的技能的重要性。