RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the personal networks GPs use when managing children with psychiatric problems. DESIGN: Cross-sectional postal study. SETTING: Health centres in the catchment area of Tampere University Hospital, Finland. SUBJECTS: GPs (n = 755) were sent a postal questionnaire. The response rate was 66.1%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A fill-in picture was used to identify professionals within the network of each GP. The quality of collaboration between GPs and professionals in health centres, other municipal authorities and secondary health care was assessed on a four-step Likert scale. RESULTS: A majority of respondents (64%) could name at least one person from their health centre with whom they cooperate in child psychiatric cases. The corresponding number in contact with other municipal authorities was 40%, and 25% with secondary care level. Almost all GPs (95%) had mostly positive experiences of cooperation with different professionals in the health centres, 73% with other municipal authorities and 47% with child psychiatric specialist care. CONCLUSION: The personal networks of health centre doctors call for improvement if the increasing child psychiatric problems are to be kept under control. This is a challenge for both primary and secondary care level doctors.
