scholarly journals Help-seeking Following Termination of Pregnancy after Diagnosis of Fetal Anomaly: Womenʼs Intentions and Experiences 1 to 7 Years after the Event

2018 ◽  
Vol 78 (02) ◽  
pp. 160-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Hanschmidt ◽  
Rahel Hoffmann ◽  
Johanna Klingner ◽  
Anette Kersting ◽  
Holger Stepan
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Fetal Anomaly ◽  
Current Psychological

Abstract Introduction Diagnosis of fetal anomaly and the difficult circumstances involved in the decision to terminate an affected pregnancy can go along with severe psychological distress. However, little is known about womenʼs help-seeking for emotional problems following an abortion after diagnosis of fetal anomaly. Methods 148 women who had been treated for abortion after diagnosis of fetal anomaly at the University Hospital Leipzig responded to self-report questionnaires 1 to 7 years after the event. Main outcomes were help-seeking intentions and actual help-seeking behavior. Logistic regression was used to explore the associations between participantsʼ sociodemographic characteristics and help-seeking intentions. Results Most women reported that they would seek help from their partner (91.7%), friends/family (82.8%) or the internet (62.2%). With regard to health services, 50.0% of women would seek help from gynecologists and between 43.8 and 47.9% from counseling services and mental health professionals. Intentions to seek help from support groups were lowest (21.7%). Age, income, region, and religion were associated with help-seeking intentions. Among participants with elevated levels of current psychological distress, 23.8% indicated that they had not discussed their emotional problems with a health service ever. Conclusion Gynecologists are among the most preferred health professionals for women to discuss psychological problems in the aftermath of an abortion after diagnosis of fetal anomaly. They should be actively involved in screening, diagnostic assessment, and referral of affected women.

How does trust affect help-seeking for Depression in Russia and Australia?

2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110392
Author(s):  
Daniel Cavanagh ◽  
Tomas Jurcik ◽  
Morteza Charkhabi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Psychological Help ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Cultural Research

Background: Depression is a major contributor to the global burden of disease that affects more than 300 million people worldwide. Cross cultural studies find that culture influences levels of trust which can impact upon an individual’s likelihood to seek psychological help when experiencing Depression. Aims: Help seeking is essential for improved mental health outcomes. This study aims to consider how trust affects help-seeking as well as examine the differences in stigma and social distance between participants in Russia and Australia. Method: Participants consisted of two separate samples from Australian ( n = 229) and Russia ( n = 259) which were recruited based on a vignette of a diagnostically unlabelled psychiatric case history with Depression using a cross-cultural research design. They completed items on the level of trust in health professionals, stigma and endorsement of help-seeking. Results: Findings suggest that trust can predict the endorsement of seeking help from a psychologist. Moreover, trust was lower for participants in Russia compared to those in Australia for mental health professionals. Participants in Russia had higher levels of stigma and social distance than their counterparts in Australia. Overall, participants in Australia were more likely to seek professional help than those in Russia. Conclusions: Trust can predict the endorsement of help-seeking from mental health professionals cross culturally. Barriers to help-seeking such as stigma continue to negatively affect mental health outcomes, particularly in Russia.

Leaving Lake Wobegon: firearm-related education and training for medical and mental health professionals is an essential competence

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianni Pirelli ◽  
Liza Gold
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Gun Violence ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Average Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
And Training

Purpose Firearm-involved violence and suicide in the USA, often collectively referred to as “gun violence,” has been labeled a public health problem and an epidemic, and even an endemic by some. Many lawmakers, community groups, mainstream media outlets and professional organizations regularly address gun-related issues and frequently associate firearm violence with mental health. As a result, these groups often set forth positions, engage in discussions and promote policies that are at least partially based on the widely held but incorrect assumption that medical and mental health professionals are either inherently equipped or professionally trained to intervene with their patients and reduce gun deaths. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach Furthermore, notable proportions of medical and mental health professionals self-report a level of comfort engaging in firearm-specific interventions that is often disproportionate to their actual education and training in the area. This type of overconfidence bias has been referred to as the Lake Wobegon Effect, illusory superiority, the above average effect, the better-than average effect or the false uniqueness bias. While medical and mental health professionals need to serve on the front line of firearm-involved violence and suicide prevention initiatives, the vast majority have not actually received systematic, formal training on firearm-specific issues. Findings Therefore, many lack the professional and cultural competence to meet current and potential future in regard to addressing gun violence. In this paper, the authors discuss empirical studies that illustrate this reality and a novel model (i.e. the Know, Ask, Do framework) that medical and mental health professionals can use when firearm-related issues arise. In addition, the authors set forth considerations for clinicians to develop and maintain their professional and cultural competence related to firearms and firearm-related subcultures. Originality/value This paper provides empirical and conceptual support for medical and mental health programs to develop formal education and training related to guns, gun safety and gun culture. A framework is provided that can also assist medical and mental health professionals to develop and maintain their own professional and cultural competence.

Self-Stigma and Its Relationship With Rates of Depression Diagnosis

Crisis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Li ◽  
Haipeng Jia ◽  
Jinchen Liu ◽  
Sihai Liu ◽  
Xuesong Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Older People ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Suicide Notes ◽  
Professional Mental Health ◽  
Seeking Help

Abstract. Background: Self-stigma about suicide might impede people seeking help from mental health professionals. There is little research about self-stigma expressed by suicide decedents. Aims: We aimed to explore (a) self-stigma about suicide through examination of suicide notes; and (b) whether the expression of self-stigma was associated with the formal diagnoses of depression. Method: Data were extracted from notes left by people who died by suicide in two major Chinese cities (Shanghai, 2004–2017; Wuhan, 2005–2019). Note content was examined and self-stigma items were coded. Demographics associated with self-stigma were reported. Rates of depression were compared between note-leavers who expressed self-stigma, and those who did not. Results: Notes were left by 567 suicide decedents (representing about 19% all suicides). Approximately 25% notes contained at least one self-stigma item. Older people made fewer self-stigma references, as did people from Wuhan. Depression was not associated with self-stigma. Limitations: Not all people dying from suicide leave notes, and suicide notes variably report self-stigma, thus self-stigma about suicide may be underestimated. Conclusion: Self-stigma items varied across regions and age groups, but not with depression. Therefore, self-stigma expressed by suicide decedents may not reflect help-seeking behaviours from professional mental health services.

Pet Bereavement Support Groups: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 440-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsey L. Hess-Holden ◽  
Christy L. Monaghan ◽  
Cheryl A. Justice
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Bereavement Support ◽  
Pet Bereavement

What to do about depression? Help-seeking and treatment recommendations of the public

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Holzinger ◽  
H. Matschinger ◽  
M.C. Angermeyer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Antidepressant Medication ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
First Century ◽  
The Public ◽  
Treatment Of Depression

Aims.Several population studies on beliefs about depression carried out in western countries during the 1990s have shown that the public clearly favors psychotherapy over antidepressant medication. The present study examines whether this phenomenon still exists at the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century.Materials and Methods.In 2009, a telephone survey was conducted among the population of Vienna aged 16 years and older (n = 1205). A fully structured interview was administered which began with the presentation of a vignette depicting a case of depression fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV for a moderate depressive episode.Results.Psychotherapists were most frequently endorsed as source of professional help. Antidepressant medication still was more frequently advised against than recommended. Respondents familiar with the treatment of depression tended to be more ready to recommend to seek help from mental health professionals and to endorse various treatment options, particularly medication.Conclusion.At the end of the first decade of this century, there still exists a large gap between the public's beliefs and what mental health professionals consider appropriate for the treatment of depression. Therefore, further effort to improve the public's mental health literacy seems necessary.

Views on Depression From Traditional Healing and Psychiatry Clinics in Uganda

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura R. Johnson ◽  
Eu Gene Chin ◽  
Mayanja Kajumba ◽  
Simon Kizito ◽  
Paul Bangirana
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Explanatory Models ◽  
Traditional Healing ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Short Supply

In Uganda, depression is a growing concern, yet mental health professionals are in short supply, and help is often sought from traditional healers. To develop an integrated system of care, we must understand sociocultural aspects of depression including beliefs about help seeking and treatment. In a mixed methods study, we used semi-structured interviews and self-report measures to assess depressed patients ( N = 30) seeking treatment in traditional healing ( n = 15) and psychiatry clinics ( n = 15) near Kampala, Uganda. We assessed demographics, symptoms, treatment characteristics, and explanatory models (EMs) of depression (e.g., labeling the problem, cause, impact on life, best type of treatment). We predicted differences across treatment settings. To further explore EMs, we assessed differences in EMs of patients and their providers by interviewing patient–provider dyads ( n = 8 dyads). Patients in both settings were similar in demographics, symptoms, perceived cause, seriousness, and impact of depression. However, patients at traditional clinics were more likely to desire herbal remedies, while those in psychiatry clinics were more likely to desire modern medication. Patient–provider dyads also had different treatment beliefs, with patients desiring financial assistance, social support, and medication, and providers more likely to suggest counseling or advice. The study highlights the need to understand diverse beliefs and treatment trajectories in a multicultural context.

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