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Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence found two-thirds of non-psychiatrist physicians and 25 percent of psychiatrists surveyed said they often did not use the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, when diagnosing major depressive disorder.

Study leader Dr. Mark Zimmerman says that not determining whether the criteria for major depressive disorder are being met, creates the possibility patients who may not actually have major depression are taking medication that may not be helping them.

"These findings are disconcerting", Zimmerman says in a statement.

He suggests if doctors are not using the criteria because of their length or because they may not be able to recall all of the them, a shortened definition may help to facilitate appropriate application of the criteria across all practitioners.

The study, published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, surveyed 291 physicians attending a continuing medical education conference.

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