Psychotherapy by Primary-Care Providers: Results of a National Sample

The authors used the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to examine visit characteristics associated with psychotherapy by primary-care physicians, as compared with psychiatrists. Chisquare tests and hierarchical logistic-regression models were developed to examine visit characteristics associated with receiving psychotherapy by primary-care physicians versus psychiatrists. Over 19% of all psychotherapy visits were reported by primary-care physicians. Visits to primary-care physicians, versus visits to psychiatrists, were significantly greater among those over age 65, in Hispanic patients, and those in rural areas. Primary-care physicians are reporting that they provide psychotherapy and may be filling a void for underserved populations.