@article {Johnson419, author = {D. A. W. Johnson and Valerie Mellor}, title = {The severity of depression in patients treated in general practice}, volume = {27}, number = {180}, pages = {419--422}, year = {1977}, publisher = {Royal College of General Practitioners}, abstract = {The severity of depression, the presence and intensity of suicidal feelings, and the outcome of depressive illness treated in general practice were studied. The results suggest that a consideration of the relatively good outcome at 16 to 18 weeks alone is misleading. At least one in six new patients is suffering from a depression of moderately severe intensity and a similar proportion experience suicidal ideas that are persistent and require active rejection. A sample of patients with chronic depression had only a slightly smaller morbidity. The presence of moderately severe symptoms of depression in both groups of patients has important implications for treatment.}, issn = {0035-8797}, URL = {https://bjgp.org/content/27/180/419}, eprint = {https://bjgp.org/content/27/180/419.full.pdf}, journal = {British Journal of General Practice} }