scholarly journals Filipino help-seeking for mental health problems and associated barriers and facilitators: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (11) ◽  
pp. 1397-1413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea B. Martinez ◽  
Melissa Co ◽  
Jennifer Lau ◽  
June S. L. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Self Reliance ◽  
Seeking Help

Abstract Purpose This systematic review aims to synthesise the evidence on behavioural and attitudinal patterns as well as barriers and enablers in Filipino formal help-seeking. Methods Using PRISMA framework, 15 studies conducted in 7 countries on Filipino help-seeking were appraised through narrative synthesis. Results Filipinos across the world have general reluctance and unfavourable attitude towards formal help-seeking despite high rates of psychological distress. They prefer seeking help from close family and friends. Barriers cited by Filipinos living in the Philippines include financial constraints and inaccessibility of services, whereas overseas Filipinos were hampered by immigration status, lack of health insurance, language difficulty, experience of discrimination and lack of acculturation to host culture. Both groups were hindered by self and social stigma attached to mental disorder, and by concern for loss of face, sense of shame, and adherence to Asian values of conformity to norms where mental illness is considered unacceptable. Filipinos are also prevented from seeking help by their sense of resilience and self-reliance, but this is explored only in qualitative studies. They utilize special mental health care only as the last resort or when problems become severe. Other prominent facilitators include perception of distress, influence of social support, financial capacity and previous positive experience in formal help. Conclusion We confirmed the low utilization of mental health services among Filipinos regardless of their locations, with mental health stigma as primary barrier, while resilience and self-reliance as coping strategies were cited in qualitative studies. Social support and problem severity were cited as prominent facilitators.

scholarly journals Barriers to Mental Health Help-Seeking Amongst Refugee Men

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (15) ◽  
pp. 2634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yulisha Byrow ◽  
Rosanna Pajak ◽  
Tadgh McMahon ◽  
Amitabh Rajouria ◽  
Angela Nickerson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Mental Health Stigma ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
Ptsd Severity

Rates of help-seeking for mental health problems are low amongst refugee communities, despite the high prevalence of PTSD reported amongst these individuals. Research suggests that the key barriers to seeking help for psychological problems include structural barriers (e.g., unstable housing), cultural barriers (e.g., mental health stigma), and barriers specific to refugees and asylum seekers (e.g., visa status). This study examined the effect of structural, cultural and refugee specific barriers on the relationship between PTSD symptom severity and intentions to seek help from professional, social, and community sources. Data was collected from 103 male refugees and asylum seekers with an Arabic-, Farsi-, or Tamil-speaking background. Participants completed measures indexing demographics, trauma exposure, PTSD symptoms, mental health stigma, and help-seeking intentions. Path analyses indicated that PTSD severity was associated with lower help-seeking intentions indirectly via mental health stigma (self-stigma for seeking help and self-stigma for PTSD) and visa security. PTSD severity was also associated with greater help-seeking intentions from community members indirectly via structural barriers. These findings are important to consider when identifying key barriers to mental health help-seeking and developing interventions designed to increase help-seeking for psychological problems, within this group.

scholarly journals What is the impact of mental health-related stigma on help-seeking? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies

2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Clement ◽  
O. Schauman ◽  
T. Graham ◽  
F. Maggioni ◽  
S. Evans-Lacko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Qualitative Studies ◽  
Deterrent Effect ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundIndividuals often avoid or delay seeking professional help for mental health problems. Stigma may be a key deterrent to help-seeking but this has not been reviewed systematically. Our systematic review addressed the overarching question: What is the impact of mental health-related stigma on help-seeking for mental health problems? Subquestions were: (a) What is the size and direction of any association between stigma and help-seeking? (b) To what extent is stigma identified as a barrier to help-seeking? (c) What processes underlie the relationship between stigma and help-seeking? (d) Are there population groups for which stigma disproportionately deters help-seeking?MethodFive electronic databases were searched from 1980 to 2011 and references of reviews checked. A meta-synthesis of quantitative and qualitative studies, comprising three parallel narrative syntheses and subgroup analyses, was conducted.ResultsThe review identified 144 studies with 90 189 participants meeting inclusion criteria. The median association between stigma and help-seeking was d = − 0.27, with internalized and treatment stigma being most often associated with reduced help-seeking. Stigma was the fourth highest ranked barrier to help-seeking, with disclosure concerns the most commonly reported stigma barrier. A detailed conceptual model was derived that describes the processes contributing to, and counteracting, the deterrent effect of stigma on help-seeking. Ethnic minorities, youth, men and those in military and health professions were disproportionately deterred by stigma.ConclusionsStigma has a small- to moderate-sized negative effect on help-seeking. Review findings can be used to help inform the design of interventions to increase help-seeking.

Mental Health Problems and Help-Seeking among Adolescents

2021 ◽  
pp. 189-202
Author(s):  
E.V. Rezun ◽  
◽  
H.R. Slobodskaya ◽  
N.B. Semenova ◽  
T.O. Rippinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽  
Seeking Help

The mental health problems among adolescents have long-lasting effects throughout life. However, research evidence indicates that only 10–30% of adolescents who needed mental health care had received specialized help. The present study reports the prevalence of mental health problems and help-seeking among adolescents, taking into account gender and age differences. The sample included 1752 adolescents (47 % boys,) aged 12-17 years. Data were collected on in two Siberian cities (Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk) using an international self-report questionnaire developed for the school-based Eurasian Child Mental Health Study. Participants were recruited from 18 schools, students completed questionnaires anonymously during school lessons. Statistical analysis included analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression analysis, and crosstabs using a chi-squared test. The level of emotional and behavioral problems in Siberian adolescents was slightly higher than that found in European and Asian countries. Twenty three percent of adolescents reported frequent headaches (at least once a week), 11 % reported frequent abdominal pain and 14% suffered from frequent sleep disturbances (3–5 times a week or more). Girls reported a significantly higher level of problems than boys, with the largest gender differences for emotional problems, recurrent pains and sleep disturbances. Weekly consumption of alcohol and daily use of nicotine among boys was more common than among girls (3 % and 6 %, respectively), whereas less frequent use of alcohol and nicotine was commoner in girls (16 %) than in boys (10 %); 7 % of boys and girls had tried drugs at least once. Suicidal thoughts were reported by 22 % of adolescents, 6 % reported suicide attempts and 6 % reported repeated self-harm. One third of adolescents considered seeking outside help and 9 % had actually done so. Girls reported more help-seeking than boys; older girls sought help more often than younger and middle-aged ones. Around one third of adolescents sought help from their relatives; 26 % from friends, the Internet or other non-professional sources; 5 % reported seeking help from a doctor or nurse, and 3 % from a psychologist. The most important independent predictors of seeking help were emotional symptoms, suicidal ideation and hyperactivity/inattention. The results suggest a need for future investigation of the factors associated with help-seeking behavior among adolescents. It is also necessary to develop mental health promotion programs for adolescents, interventions to improve mental health literacy and access to mental health care.

scholarly journals Licensing and Physician Mental Health: Problems and Possibilities

2007 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-11
Author(s):  
Herbert Hendin ◽  
Charles Reynolds ◽  
Dan Fox ◽  
Steven I. Altchuler ◽  
Phillip Rodgers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Psychiatric Care ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Medical License

ABSTRACT A number of factors appear to discourage physicians from seeking help for mental illness. This reluctance may be exacerbated by fears – well-founded or imagined – that by seeking help, physicians may put their medical license in jeopardy. To examine this risk, an analysis of all state medical board (SMB) license applications was followed by a seven-item survey mailed to SMB executive directors, and 70 percent responded. Follow up interviews were conducted with a sample of those not responding and also with a small group of directors whose responses were problematic. Thirteen of the 35 SMBs responding indicated that the diagnosis of mental illness by itself was sufficient for sanctioning physicians. The same states indicated that they treat physicians receiving psychiatric care differently than they do physicians receiving medical care. In follow-up interviews all 13 indicated that without evidence of impairment or misrepresentation any such sanctioning was likely to be temporary. A significant percentage (37 percent) of states sanction or have the ability to sanction physicians on the basis of information revealed on the licensing application about the presence of a psychiatric condition rather than on the basis of impairment. The same percentage state they treat physicians receiving psychiatric care differently than they do those receiving medical care. Physicians’ perceptions of this apparent discrimination is likely to play a role in their reluctance to seek help for mental health-related conditions. Suggestions are made for how SMBs and state physician health programs and state and county medical societies might collaborate in ways that while protecting patients decreases barriers to physicians help seeking.

scholarly journals P26 Barriers and Facilitators to Help-Seeking for Common Mental Disorders among University Students: A Systematic Review

BJS Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Lui ◽  
June Brown ◽  
Joyce Lui
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
University Students ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Self Reliance ◽  
Good Mental Health ◽  
Physical Barriers

Abstract Background High rates of mental health illness affect university students, most commonly depression and anxiety. Despite this, help-seeking behaviours are extremely low. This is the first systematic review aiming to summarise the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking for depression and/or anxiety among university students. Methods Three databases, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsychINFO were searched for studies reporting barriers and facilitators to help-seeking for university students with depression and/or anxiety. In order to review data from both qualitative and quantitative studies, information on barriers and facilitators were coded into themes. Results Ten final papers were included; four qualitative and six quantitative. The most prominent barriers were self-reliance, stigma, physical barriers, poor awareness of mental health symptoms, poor knowledge of services and effectiveness, and symptom severity. Although there was significantly less research on facilitators, common facilitator themes were good mental health literacy and encouragement or pressure from others to seek help. Conclusions A recommendation from this review is the need to explore self-reliance as a barrier to help-seeking as this was the most commonly barrier, but a little researched area. Another recommendation is that more research is undertaken to investigate the facilitators to help-seeking. Clinical recommendations include using the internet to provide support and information on mental health disorders and services, implementing anti-stigma workshops in universities and integrating family members, partners, and friends into an individual’s mental health care. It is hoped that the findings from this review will be used to improve mental health services to address poor help-seeking behaviours among this student population.

scholarly journals Help Seeking Preferences to Informal and Formal Source of Care for Depression: a Community Based Study in Northwest Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
shegaye shumet ◽  
Tilahun Kassew ◽  
Telake Azale ◽  
Getinet Ayano ◽  
Dessie Abebaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Northwest Ethiopia ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Score Difference ◽  
High Propensity ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Background: Depression is the leading cause of disability at a population level and globally 350 million people are suffering from depression. Many people suffer from depression use different sources of help for their mental health problems. People with different mental health problems seek help from formal and/or informal sources. This gives crucial information on community,s beliefs and perception regarding their preference for help if they faced depression. This study helps to guide effective planning and provision of mental health services and health policy of the country to explore the community,s preferences of help-seeking. Objective: The aim of this community based cross-sectional study was to contrast patterns of formal and informal help-seeking preferences for depression among residents of Aykel town, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: This cross-sectional population based study included 832 participants. We used a major depressive disorder case vignette and general help-seeking questionnaire (GHSQ) to assess the preferences to seek help. Study participants were selected by multistage cluster sampling technique. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews. An independent- sample t- test and analysis of variance test (ANOVA) was performed to determine mean score difference in socio-demographic characteristics of the participants for informal sources of help.Results: A total of 656 subjects (78.8%) showed high propensity to intimate partner, and 655 (78.7%) of the study subjects had high propensity to mental health professional. The mean score of the residents’ preference to seek help from informal sources was 3.41±0.60.The mean score of preference to seek help from formal sources was 3.18±0.75. A total of 276 (33.2%) subjects showed high propensity to both informal and formal sources of help. The result also showed that there was mean score difference in preferences to informal help between subjects with strong social support and low and/ moderate social support (P<0.001).Conclusion: The result suggests that the majority of the residents had a higher preference to seek help from informal sources compared to formal sources of care. Mean score difference was observed in degree of social support and occupational status(student,housewife and jobless) for informal sources of help. Providing and strengthening both formal and informal sources of help in conjunction is crucial to get a more qualified and effective care of depressed patients.

Examining a Mental Health Literacy Intervention Among Economically Disadvantaged Youth

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-355
Author(s):  
Jayna Mumbauer-Pisano ◽  
Sejal Mehta Barden
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Economically Disadvantaged ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Literacy Intervention ◽  
Mental Health Stigma

Although mental health problems in adolescence are increasingly common, 60% of diagnosed youth do not receive appropriate mental health treatment. This service gap is even wider among adolescents from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, who face increased mental health stigma and barriers to treatment. Mental health literacy is a pivotal step in addressing the discrepancy between rates of mental health diagnoses and of individuals treated. This study evaluates the influence of a 6-week mental health literacy intervention on economically disadvantaged adolescents’ mental health literacy, implemented by counselors-in-training. From pretest to posttest, adolescents’ mental health knowledge and attitudes toward help-seeking significantly increased, while mental health stigma significantly decreased. These changes were sustained at 1-month follow-up. The results highlight the importance of brief mental health literacy interventions to encourage healthy coping and help-seeking and to dispel stigmatizing beliefs.

scholarly journals Stigma associated with mental health problems among young people in India: a systematic review of magnitude, manifestations and recommendations

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shivani Mathur Gaiha ◽  
Tatiana Taylor Salisbury ◽  
Mirja Koschorke ◽  
Usha Raman ◽  
Mark Petticrew
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Awareness Campaigns

Abstract Background Globally, 20% of young people experience mental disorders. In India, only 7.3% of its 365 million youth report such problems. Although public stigma associated with mental health problems particularly affects help-seeking among young people, the extent of stigma among young people in India is unknown. Describing and characterizing public stigma among young people will inform targeted interventions to address such stigma in India, and globally. Thus, we examined the magnitude and manifestations of public stigma, and synthesised evidence of recommendations to reduce mental-health-related stigma among young people in India. Method A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was conducted. Nine electronic databases were searched and 30 studies (n = 6767) met inclusion criteria. Results Most studies (66%) focused on youth training to become health professionals. One-third of young people display poor knowledge of mental health problems and negative attitudes towards people with mental health problems and one in five had actual/intended stigmatizing behavior (I2>=95%). Young people are unable to recognize causes and symptoms of mental health problems and believe that recovery is unlikely. People with mental health problems are perceived as dangerous and irresponsible, likely due to misinformation and misunderstanding of mental health problems as being solely comprised of severe mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia). However, psychiatric labels are not commonly used/understood. Conclusion Public education may use symptomatic vignettes (through relatable language and visuals) instead of psychiatric labels to improve young people’s understanding of the range of mental health problems. Recommended strategies to reduce public stigma include awareness campaigns integrated with educational institutions and content relevant to culture and age-appropriate social roles.

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