Abstract

Depression has become one of the leading disorders all over the world. Most cases of depression are diagnosed and treated in primary care. Depressed patients in primary care have many somatic complaints and various somatic illnesses and they are afraid of a mental health diagnosis. Depression is commonly co-morbid  with somatic disease in primary care. Factors as the family doctors’ willingness to manage depression, good doctor-patient relationship and a possibility to consult a psychiatrist influence considerably the recognition of depression by the clinician and its treatment.