General Practitioners’ beliefs about physical activity for managing depression in primary care

A Pilot Study of the Views of General Practitioners Regarding Exercise for the Treatment of Depression

“…In line with the findings of Searle et al. (), our findings indicate that GPs are in strong agreement regarding the benefits of exercise for the treatment of depression. However, a potential limitation of the present survey is the apparent ceiling effect associated with the use of a 5‐point Likert scale where no responses appeared in the “Disagree” or “Strongly disagree” categories.…”

“…In the most recent and comprehensive investigation of the views of GPs regarding exercise for patients with depression (Searle et al., ), GPs tended to rely on anecdotal rather than scientific evidence for decision‐making. Whether this view is representative of all UK‐based GPs is questionable given the small sample ( n = 5).…”

“…A recent study of UK‐based GPs regarding physical activity and depression (Searle et al., ) reported that GPs believed exercise to be an effective adjunct, rather than a first‐line therapy such as antidepressant medications or counseling. This is inconsistent with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the treatment of depression, which suggest that people with persistent subthreshold or mild to moderate depression may be considered for a low‐intensity psychosocial intervention (NICE, ).…”

Is Cardiovascular or Resistance Exercise Better to Treat Patients With Depression? A Narrative Review

“…In a recent UK study, GPs were reported as being in support of physical activity for patients with depression (Searle et al, 2012), despite an apparent lack of awareness of the supporting evidence for exercise in the treatment of depression. Data from the UK Department of Health suggest some 80% of GPs utilise an exercise referral scheme for patients with depression (Mental Health Foundation, 2009).…”

Translating theory and evidence into practice: What is the role of health professionals?

“…Within the context of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial of facilitated physical activity and usual care for depression in the primary care setting, Searle et al (2012) interviewed participating General Practitioners in the trial regarding their beliefs about managing depression with physical activity. While there may be some bias in the sample, due to their willingness to participate in the trial in the first place, it was even more notable that participants generally had little awareness of the research evidence concerning exercise and depression.…”