Chinese American Womenʼs Experiences with Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors

Aim: This study explores the influence of beliefs, values and norms in Chinese family culture as they relate to attitudes and beliefs about mental health and mental health services. It examines family and acculturative stressors occurring in the immigrant’s social context on attitudes about suicidal distress and help-seeking behaviors, and focuses on appropriate forms of services for suicidal behaviors among adult immigrants experiencing suicidal behaviors. Methods: The study design is descriptive, using a qualitative approach. Six Chinese American immigrant adults who had attempted suicide participated in semi-structured interviews in Mandarin or Cantonese. The content was analyzed using a constant comparative approach. Results: Study participants exhibited various reactions to suicidal distress, attitudes about needing help and usefulness and relevance of existing intervention strategies and services that reflected influences of Chinese family culture. Interactions with family members negatively impacted study participants’ attitudes about using services and hindered pathways to care. Acculturative stressors, along with weak family ties and the absence of strong community networks exacerbated the strategies for effective services. Conclusion: This study raises the question of the efficacy of several Western-culture based service delivery models on help-seeking behaviors on such populations. Furthermore, the study discusses ethnic sensitive approaches with core roles for family, peers and community for supporting those at risk of attempting suicide and linking them to appropriate community-based services.

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Cultural Values Influence Mental-Health Help-Seeking in Asian and Latinx College Students

10.31234/osf.io/674h9 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Elayne Zhou ◽

Yena Kyeong ◽

Cecilia Cheung ◽

Kalina Michalska;Michalska

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Cultural Values ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Online Survey ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Ethnic Group Membership

The current study examined the influence of cultural values on mental health attitudes and help-seeking behaviors in college students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Asian and Latinx college students (N = 159) completed an online survey in which they reported their adherence to cultural values and general attitudes towards mental health and help-seeking behavior. Factor analysis revealed two common factors of cultural values irrespective of ethnic background: Interdependent Orientation (IO) and Cultural Obligation (CO). Regardless of ethnicity, the more students endorsed IO values, the less likely they were to perceive a need for mental health treatment. IO value adherence also predicted more negative attitudes towards mental health. CO values were not predictive of perceived need or help-seeking behaviors. Findings highlight the importance of assessing certain cultural values independently from ethnicity and considering how the multidimensionality of culture may help explain shared mental health behaviors across ethnic group membership.

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Supporting the Mental Health and Well-Being of First Responders from Career to Retirement: A Scoping Review

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x21000431 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Erin Smith ◽

Greg Dean ◽

Lisa Holmes

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Help Seeking ◽

First Responders ◽

Well Being ◽

First Responder ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Holistic Approaches ◽

Pubmed Database ◽

Health And Well Being

Abstract Introduction: First responders are at greater risk of mental ill health and compromised well-being compared to the general population. It is important to identify strategies that will be effective in supporting mental health, both during and after the first responder’s career. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed database (1966 to October 1, 2020) and the Google Scholar database (October 1, 2020) using relevant search terms, truncation symbols, and Boolean combination functions. The reference lists of all relevant publications were also reviewed to identify further publications. Results: A total of 172 publications were retrieved by the combined search strategies. Of these, 56 met the inclusion criteria and informed the results of this overview paper. These publications identified that strategies supporting first responder mental health and well-being need to break down stigma and build resilience. Normalizing conversations around mental health is integral for increasing help-seeking behaviors, both during a first responder’s career and in retirement. Organizations should consider the implementation of both pre-retirement and post-retirement support strategies to improve mental health and well-being. Conclusion: Strategies for supporting mental health and well-being need to be implemented early in the first responder career and reinforced throughout and into retirement. They should utilize holistic approaches which encourage “reaching in” rather than placing an onus on first responders to “reach out” when they are in crisis.

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Language Proficiency and Migrant–Native Disparities in Postpartum Depressive Symptoms

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094782 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4782

Author(s):

Sousan Hamwi ◽

Elsa Lorthe ◽

Henrique Barros

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Migrant Women ◽

Prevention Measures ◽

Native Women ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Postpartum Depressive Symptoms

Migrant women have a higher risk of developing postpartum depressive symptoms (PPDS) than do native women. This study aimed to investigate the role of host-country language proficiency in this disparity. We analysed the data of 1475 migrant and 1415 native women who gave birth at a Portuguese public hospital between 2017 and 2019 and were participants in the baMBINO cohort study. Migrants’ language proficiency was self-rated and comprised understanding, speaking, reading, and writing skills. PPDS were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale with a cut-off score of ≥10. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the association between language proficiency and PPDS. PPDS were experienced by 7.2% of native women and 12.4% among migrants (p < 0.001). Increasing proportions of PPDS were observed among decreasing Portuguese proficiency levels; 11% among full, 13% among intermediate, and 18% among limited proficiency women (ptrend < 0.001). Full (aOR 1.63 (95% CI 1.21–2.19)), intermediate (aOR 1.68 (95% CI 1.16–2.42)), and limited (aOR 2.55 (95% CI 1.64–3.99)) language proficiencies were associated with increasingly higher odds of PPDS among migrant women, compared to native proficiency. Prevention measures should target migrant women at high risk of PPDS, namely those with limited language skills, and promote awareness, early detection, and help-seeking, in addition to facilitating communication in their perinatal healthcare encounters.

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E-Mental Health Care Among Young Adults and Help-Seeking Behaviors: A Transversal Study in a Community Sample

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/jmir.4254 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 17 (5) ◽

pp. e123 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Nadia Younes ◽

Aude Chollet ◽

Estelle Menard ◽

Maria Melchior

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Young Adults ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Community Sample ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Transversal Study

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Cross sectional analysis of depression and stress in medical students

10.31234/osf.io/ymfpb ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Tyler S. Jones ◽

Deborah Rupert

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Medical Students ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Health Issues ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

The Impact

Medical student wellbeing is a topic of growing concern. Medical students experience high levels of stress and burnout and are at increased risk for depression and suicidal ideation compared to the general population. Even more concerning, medical students are disproportionately less likely to seek help for their mental health issues. Identifying and preventing these problems early can have lasting positive consequences over the course of a physician’s lifetime. We implemented a wellness program at our medical school in the spring of 2016 with the goals of decreasing burnout and depression, heightening awareness of mental health issues, and encouraging help-seeking behaviors. To analyze the impact of our program, we have implemented a quality assurance survey. Here we report lifestyle factors associated with positive screens for depression from that data and propose institutional initiatives that can be spearheaded by medical students for medical students to impact positive change.

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Depressive Symptoms, Help-Seeking, and Barriers to Mental Healthcare Among Healthcare Professionals in Lithuania

Acta medica Lituanica ◽

10.15388/amed.2020.28.1.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 3

Author(s):

Daniel Rogoža ◽

Robertas Strumila ◽

Eglė Klivickaitė ◽

Edgaras Diržius ◽

Neringa Čėnaitė

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Help Seeking ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Health Problems ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Work Related ◽

Patient Health

Background: Previous research suggests that healthcare professionals (HCPs) experience high levels of work-related psychological distress, including depressive symptoms. Due to the stigma of mental health problems and other barriers, HCPs are likely to be hesitant to seek appropriate mental healthcare. We aimed to explore these phenomena among HCPs in Lithuania.Methods: A web survey inquiring about depressive symptoms, help-seeking, and barriers to mental healthcare was conducted. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). 601 complete questionnaires were included in the analyses. The barriers to help-seeking were identified using the inductive content analysis approach. Descriptive, non-parametric, and robust statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software.Results: Most of the respondents have reported depression-like symptoms over the lifetime, although only about a third of them sought professional help. Of those, roughly half preferred a private specialist. The stigma and neglect of mental health problems were the most common barriers to help-seeking. Around half of the HCPs believed that seeking mental healthcare can imperil their occupational license. About a quarter of the HCPs screened positive for clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Statistically significant differences in the PHQ-9 score were found between categories of healthcare specialty, marital status, religious beliefs, workplace, and years of work as a HCP. Fewer years of work and younger age were associated with the higher PHQ-9 score.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HCPs in Lithuania may be inclined not to seek appropriate mental healthcare and experience poor mental health, although stronger evidence is needed to verify these findings.

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