Patients with depression who typically receive primary care at a physician’s office are more engaged in managing their mental health care than those who rely on outpatient clinics or the emergency department, according to a new study led by Dr. Jie Chen, assistant professor in the department of health services administration at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. Access to primary care is one of several contextual factors identified that can affect patient activation, or the ability and confidence of patients to manage their own health and health care. Higher levels of patient activation predict better treatment compliance and health outcomes, the study authors note.