Physicians’ Awareness and use of Community Resources for Mentally Retarded Persons: An Interim Report

Abstract

General practitioners (GPs) completed a questionnaire about their awareness and use of local services for mentally retarded persons. A small minority of the GPs indicated that they were either not familiar with, or were familiar with but did not refer their patients to, the various agencies serving mentally retarded persons in their area. Although most GPs indicated that they felt an obligation to familiarize themselves with the local community and state services, only three-quarters of the present sample actually felt an obligation to refer parents of mentally retarded persons to agencies providing such services. In general, however, the GPs were well informed of the services available in their area and referred retarded persons to them. In terms of long-term care of the retarded child, institutional care was suggested as an alternative only if the parents could not cope with their severely or profoundly retarded children at home.