<p> Table 1.Characteristics of included studies.</p><p>Reference Participants Aim Setting and sample selection Methods of collecting clinician data & </p><p>(RR) research perspective (quality assessment) qualitative studies 36 32 GPs Identify issues of importance 28 GP practices in and around semi-structured interviews; grounded theory</p><p>(RR 24%) to GPs in depression Southampton (plus 2 GPs in </p><p> management Leicester) (10/10) 33 18 GPs, 7 PNs Identify perceptions of 18 South London primary care in-depth, semi-structured interviews; </p><p> depression older people teams in 5 Boroughs, purposive grounded theory</p><p> sampling based on setting </p><p>(socioeconomic/ethnic groups </p><p> served) and practice type (9/10) 34 9 GPs, 3 PNs Explore how primary care 1 PCT in NW England, semi-structured interviews; constant </p><p> professionals and patients purposive sampling, but criteria comparison</p><p> view late-life depression not stated</p><p>(7/10) 30 20 GPs Explore GPs’ experience of 11 practices from a ‘random’ semi-structured interviews; critical realist </p><p> recognizing and managing sample of 55 in Scotland – 4 perspective</p><p> depression NHS board areas (5/10) 39 19 GPs Investigate GP views on 8 West Midland practices – semi-structured interviews</p><p> consultation time and purposeful selection based on </p><p> depression management. socioeconomic/ geographical </p><p> setting and patient list size (8/10) 32 35 GPs- in Explore GP attitudes to the 22 inner city GPs vs 13 suburban semi-structured interviews; constant </p><p> teaching management of depression in and semi-rural GPs in NW comparative qualitative analysis</p><p> practices deprived vs affluent England, purposive sampling </p><p>(RR ~ 66%) populations based on practice size (9/10) 31 10 GPs Explore GPs’ views on 8 practices in Greater in-depth, semi-structured interviews</p><p> depression management Manchester (inner city/ </p><p> suburban) (5/10) quantitative studies 40 17 GPs Explore associations between 6 GP practices in Southampton questionnaire (devised for this study) ratings </p><p>GP treatment, depression (9 practices approached) of patient characteristics and GP treatment severity and patient decisions completed following consultation</p><p> characteristics (3/7) 41 4 GPs – 3 Compare GPs and male 1 practice in a prosperous rural questionnaire (devised for this study), </p><p> principals, 1 patients’ assessments of area of Cheshire completed following consultation </p><p> assistant depression (3/7) 42 442 PNs Assess PNs’ knowledge, 1 in 2 sample of Scottish general questionnaire - DAQ plus some questions </p><p>(RR 56.2%) attitudes, training and practices (428 Practices) developed for this study, postal survey</p><p> management of depressed </p><p> patients (5/7) 45 202 GPs Compare expectations of GP practices ‘across the UK’ questionnaire – devised for this study by a </p><p>(RR 50%) GPs and patients in the market research company, postal request sent </p><p> management of relapse of with link to online questionnaire</p><p> depression (2/7) 44 274 GPs Describe GPs beliefs about All GPs in Lambeth, Southwark Likert scale questionnaire – (devised for this </p><p> their management of and Lewisham Health Authority study, but piloted on 15 GPs)</p><p> depression. (inner city) (4/7) 35 61 GPs Assess the attitudes of GPs Inner city GP surgeries in questionnaire (DAQ) - postal survey (RR 60%) towards depression Lambeth (group & single-</p><p> handed), ‘randomly’ selected (2/7) 43 1703 GPs Survey GPs’ perception of 11 health authorities – 1 from questionnaire – devised for study, piloted on </p><p>(RR 48%) the availability/quality of each English region, and 1 each 131 GPs; postal survey</p><p> primary care and from N.Ireland, Wales and </p><p> community-based services Scotland. Urban, rural, deprived </p><p> for depressed people. and privileged</p><p>Identify barriers to provision </p><p> of services (4/7) 46 263 GPs Examine the attitudes and All 116 practices in Nottingham postal survey (adapted for study from </p><p>(RR 72%) practice of GPs in managing Health Authority previous research) - responses to attitude </p><p> late-life depression. statements and clinical vignettes </p><p>(4/7) 38 40 GPs Test hypotheses that practices in Liverpool and questionnaire (DAQ), prescribing </p><p> measures of GPs’ confidence Manchester information, Likert scale depression ratings</p><p> in identifying depression predict ability to identify </p><p> depression and that GPs who</p><p> prefer antidepressants </p><p> prescribe more than those </p><p> who prefer psychotherapy</p><p>(3/7) 37 31 GPs, 24 Assess acceptability and 14 practices in West Essex, East vignettes and questionnaire (adapted DAQ for</p><p>PNs feasibility of an educational Hertfordshire, Redbridge older people) (baseline data only used in </p><p>(RR 12% of package concerning synthesis)</p><p> practices management of depression </p><p> approached) in old age (4/7) All information was not available for each study. RR = response rate; DAQ = depression attitude questionnaire[65]; (quality assessment score: </p><p> higher score = higher quality, qualitative studies scores out of 10 on CASP checklist[19];quantitative studies scores out of 7 on scale devised for </p><p> this study (Appendix 2))</p>