A Trial on the Effectiveness of Screening and Brief Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) for Elderly Patients With Psychological Problems

The aim of this study was to determine whether screening followed by brief PSC provided by primary care doctors could improve the quality of life of elderly patients with unrecognized psychological problems in primary care. The following hypotheses were tested: 1. Elderly patients screened positive of psychological problems had poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL) than those who were screened negative. 2. Primary care doctors could be trained to provide brief PST. 3. Brief PST by a trained primary care doctor could improve the HRQOL of the elderly who were screened positive for psychological problems.