Teaching about depression in different cultures: Experience gained in the use of the WPA educational programme on depressive disorders

Abstract

Aware of the huge and growing public health importance of depressive disorders the World Psychiatric Association developed an educational programme that brought together materials that psychiatrists could use in teaching other medical staff - for example general practitioners - about depression and its management. The programme was translated in many languages and widely used. Reports about the usefulness of the programme were very positive and usually drew attention to the fact that the programme contained a large amount of data that could be used in composing teaching curricula appropriate for the different settings in which the training was to take place. The experience gained in the use of the programme guided the development of the updated version of the programme released in 2009. As in the first edition, information was made available so that teachers could use in composing their educational activities. In addition however, a special chapter has been added to the programme addressing the role of culture in the presentation of depression and in its management. The presentation will describe the programme and its development. It will in particular describe the parts of the programme dealing with cultural issues and with the methods of education of general practitioners.