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AIM: This paper is a report of a study to explore problems encountered by mental health professionals in the long-term care of patients with chronic depression. BACKGROUND: Patients who do not profit from psychopharmacological or psychotherapeutic treatment often need long-term care. Although they experience severe symptoms and loss of functioning, little is known about these people and the care they receive. METHOD: Experts in chronic depression (n = 8) participated in a four-phase Delphi study in 2006-2007. Problems were elicited through a focus group interview (first round) which was analysed using thematic analysis. The resulting problem list was validated (second round) and scored twice on a 7-point Likert scale (third and fourth rounds) by the participants. Urgency and changeability scores of 35 problems were obtained and a hierarchy of problems was set. In addition, qualitative data from the focus group interview were used to frame the results in the context of long-term care for patients with chronic depression. RESULTS: Problems were subdivided into five areas. Relapses by the patient, a pessimistic attitude by the professional and demoralization in both were major problems. Also noted were the negative societal connotations of chronic depression and the lack of a coherent view on treatment within mental health care. CONCLUSION: Chronicity of depression may be denied by both patients and professionals, resulting in an overly strong focus on cure and a limited quality of care. The results may be used as a starting point for construction of a best-practice programme to improve long-term care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article provides an overview of what is known about "difficult patients" in mental health care. It aims to answer three main questions: What are the defining characteristics of difficult patients, how is the difficulty explained, and which treatment strategies are available?Methods: A search of the MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL databases was conducted for articles published between 1979 and 2004 that had "difficult patients" as their main topic, resulting in 94 eligible articles.Results: Characteristics of difficult patients in psychiatric care were consistent across several studies. Explanations for these difficulties widely varied: individual, interpersonal, and social factors were identified. Interventions were described in little detail and offered relatively few specific guidelines for daily practice, although some general principles are summarized. Difficult patients are classified into three subgroups, and some prevailing discourses on difficult patients in mental health care are discussed.Conclusions: Treatment strategies or settings exist for two of the three groups of difficult patients-those with severe mental illness (unwilling care avoiders) and those with the least severe psychiatric symptoms but the most difficult behaviors (demanding care claimers). The remaining group (ambivalent care seekers), which consists of those who seek care but exhibit ambivalent behaviors that could be interpreted as both difficult and ill, is not supported sufficiently by effective treatment strategies. Further development and research into effective interventions is suggested for this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]