scholarly journals Attitudes and perceived barriers to mental healthcare in the People’s Liberation Army Navy: study from a navy base

2020 ◽  
pp. jramc-2019-001396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ren-Ping Gu ◽  
X R Liu ◽  
X F Ye

IntroductionThe People’s Liberation Army (PLA, China) Navy is increasingly conducting military operations other than war overseas. Factors such as confrontations with pirates, special environments and long sailing times have resulted in mental health problems. However, the navy’s actual utilisation of mental health services is low. This study examined members’ rate of willingness to seek help and the factors that act as barriers to willingness to seek mental health services in the PLA Navy.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted at the Zhoushan Base, operated by the East Sea Fleet, between March 2019 and April 2019. We distributed a 12-item questionnaire to examine participants’ attitudes and perceived barriers to mental healthcare. We recruited 676 navy personnel. Participants’ willingness to seek help if they had mental health problems was also assessed.ResultsThe response rate was 99%. A total of 88.44% of the sample reported being willing to seek help. Univariate analysis suggested that those not willing to seek help were more likely to agree with the items, ‘Mental healthcare does not work’ and ‘My unit leadership might treat me differently’ and all organisational barriers, and they were more likely to have concerns about ‘embarrassment’ and ‘being weak’ than those willing to seek help. After controlling for demographic characteristics, binary logistic regression analyses confirmed that a lack of knowledge regarding the location of mental health clinics and being perceived as weak were the main factors preventing participants’ willingness from seeking help.ConclusionsExtensive efforts to decrease organisational barriers and stigma towards mental healthcare should be a priority for researchers and policymakers to improve the usage of mental health services. Psychoeducation aimed at de-stigmatising mental health problems should be delivered and the accessibility and availability of mental health services should be increased.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sofie Hansen ◽  
Gry Kjærsdam Telléus ◽  
Christina Mohr-Jensen ◽  
Marlene Briciet Lauritsen

Abstract Background: Many children and adolescents with impairing mental health disorders are not in contact with specialized child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). In order to close the service gap, it is important to increase our knowledge of barriers to access. The aim of this study was to investigate parent perceived barriers to accessing services for their child’s mental health problems to identify potential areas for improvement of access to CAMHS. Method: In this cross-sectional observational study 244 parents of children and adolescents referred to outpatient psychiatric assessment were interviewed using the Children’s services interview regarding barriers to accessing child mental health services across healthcare, educational services and social services. Parent reported barriers were analyzed in relation to the child’s age, referral reason, symptom duration and impairment of the child. Results: The most commonly reported barriers were lack of information about were to seek help (60.3%), the perception that professionals did not listen (59.8%) and professionals refusing to initiate interventions or provide referral to services (53.7%). Lack of knowledge, stigmatization and unavailability of services were common themes across barriers to help-seeking. Long symptom duration and parent rated impairment was associated with increased risk of reporting several barriers to help-seeking. Conclusion: Parents seeking help for their child’s mental health encounter numerous barriers that could explain part of the treatment gap and long duration of mental health problems in children prior to referral to CAMHS.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sofie Hansen ◽  
Gry Kjaersdam Telléus ◽  
Christina Mohr-Jensen ◽  
Marlene Briciet Lauritsen

Abstract Background Many children and adolescents with impairing mental health disorders are not in contact with specialized child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). In order to close the service gap, it is important to increase our knowledge of barriers to access. The aim of this study was to investigate parent perceived barriers to accessing services for their child’s mental health problems to identify potential areas for improvement of access to CAMHS. Method In this cross-sectional observational study 244 parents of children and adolescents referred to outpatient psychiatric assessment were interviewed using the Children’s services interview regarding barriers to accessing child mental health services across healthcare, educational services and social services. Parent reported barriers were analyzed in relation to the child’s age, referral reason, symptom duration and impairment of the child. Results The most commonly reported barriers were lack of information about were to seek help (60.3%), the perception that professionals did not listen (59.8%) and professionals refusing to initiate interventions or provide referral to services (53.7%). Lack of knowledge, stigmatization and unavailability of services were common themes across barriers to help-seeking. Long symptom duration and parent rated impairment was associated with increased risk of reporting several barriers to help-seeking.Conclusion Parents seeking help for their child’s mental health encounter numerous barriers that could explain part of the treatment gap and long duration of mental health problems in children prior to referral to CAMHS.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sofie Hansen ◽  
Gry Kjaersdam Telléus ◽  
Christina Mohr-Jensen ◽  
Marlene Briciet Lauritsen

Abstract Background: Many children and adolescents with impairing mental health disorders are not in contact with specialized child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). In order to close the service gap, it is important to increase our knowledge of barriers to access. The aim of this study was to investigate parent perceived barriers to accessing services for their child’s mental health problems to identify potential areas for improvement of access to CAMHS. Method: In this cross-sectional observational study 244 parents of children and adolescents referred to outpatient psychiatric assessment were interviewed using the Children’s services interview regarding barriers to accessing child mental health services across healthcare, educational services and social services. Parent reported barriers were analyzed in relation to the child’s age, referral reason, symptom duration and impairment of the child. Results: The most commonly reported barriers were lack of information about were to seek help (60.3%), the perception that professionals did not listen (59.8%) and professionals refusing to initiate interventions or provide referral to services (53.7%). Lack of knowledge, stigmatization and unavailability of services were common themes across barriers to help-seeking. Long symptom duration and parent rated impairment was associated with increased risk of reporting several barriers to help-seeking. Conclusion: Parents seeking help for their child’s mental health encounter numerous barriers that could explain part of the treatment gap and long duration of mental health problems in children prior to referral to CAMHS.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 110-133
Author(s):  
Anne Mari Steigen ◽  
Bengt Eriksson ◽  
Ragnfrid Eline Kogstad ◽  
Helge Prytz Toft ◽  
Daniel Bergh

Young adults with mental health problems who do not attend school or work constitute a significant welfare challenge in Norway. The welfare services available to these individuals include nature-based services, which are primarily located on farms and integrate the natural and agricultural environment into their daily activities. The aim of this study is to examine young adults (16–30 years old) not attending school or work who participated in nature-based services in Norway. In particular, the study analyses mental health problems among the participants and in-group variations regarding their symptoms of mental health problems using the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-10). This paper compares symptoms of mental health problems among participants in nature-based services with those of a sample from the general population and a sample of those receiving clinical in-patient mental healthcare. A questionnaire was developed for the study and was completed by 93 participants in nature-based services. The majority of these participants were recruited from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), local mental health services, and school authorities. Results indicate that just more than half of the respondents exhibited symptoms of mental health problems based on their HSCL-10 scores. In general, they reported fewer symptoms than the clinical in-patient sample (18–30 years old) and more symptoms than the general population sample (18–19 years old). Among the participants in nature-based services, those recruited through NAV and local mental health services exhibited no differences in symptoms. Half of the participants older than 23 years in nature-based services had not completed upper secondary school. The participants, including those with symptoms of mental health problems and low expectations at the outset of their participation, generally expressed high satisfaction with the services.


2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 153-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sokratis Dinos

SummaryEvidence suggests disparities in the prevalence of mental health problems and access to mental healthcare for a number of minority groups. The main response from mental health services falls into two related categories: (a) cultural adaptations of existing evidence-based interventions (EBIs) and/or (b) cultural competence of mental health professionals. This editorial looks at the evidence on culturally adapted EBIs and argues that although such interventions can be effective, they also carry the risk of alienating members of the groups they are aimed at. Recommendations focus on identifying issues that pertain to being from a racial minority and/or possessing other stigmatised identities that can have an impact on mental health problems, which may be overlooked by mental health services by assuming an overarching predominant cultural identity.


Author(s):  
Anna Sofie Hansen ◽  
Gry Kjaersdam Telléus ◽  
Christina Mohr-Jensen ◽  
Marlene Briciet Lauritsen

Abstract Background Many children and adolescents with impairing mental health disorders are not in contact with specialized child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). In order to close the service gap, it is important to increase our knowledge of barriers to access. The aim of this study was to investigate parent perceived barriers to accessing services for their child’s mental health problems to identify potential areas for improvement of access to CAMHS. Method In this cross-sectional observational study 244 parents of children and adolescents referred to outpatient psychiatric assessment were interviewed using the Children’s services interview regarding barriers to accessing child mental health services across healthcare, educational services and social services. Parent reported barriers were analyzed in relation to the child’s age, referral reason, symptom duration and impairment of the child. Results The most commonly reported barriers were lack of information about were to seek help (60.3%), the perception that professionals did not listen (59.8%) and professionals refusing to initiate interventions or provide referral to services (53.7%). Lack of knowledge, stigmatization and unavailability of services were common themes across barriers to help-seeking. Long symptom duration and parent rated impairment was associated with increased risk of reporting several barriers to help-seeking. Conclusion Parents seeking help for their child’s mental health encounter numerous barriers that could explain part of the treatment gap and long duration of mental health problems in children prior to referral to CAMHS.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cengiz Kilic ◽  
Edip Kaya ◽  
Ozge Karadag ◽  
Sarp Uner

Abstract Background: Syrian refugees are seriously traumatized by the conflict in their country. Consequently, mental health problems, particularly depression and PTSD, are prevalent among refugees. Despite this fact, they make little use of mental health services. Using a population sample of Syrian refugees living in Ankara, we assessed the perceived need for and contact with mental health services, as well as the barriers to access these services.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 420 Syrian refugees living in Ankara city center, using face to face interviews administered at the respondents’ home by trained, Arabic-speaking interviewers. The data were collected in October–November 2016 in two neighborhoods of Ankara, where most of Syrian refugees were concentrated. PTSD and depression were assessed using Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Both measures have been validated in Arabic.Results: Of all the refugees in our sample, 14.8% (N=62) stated that they felt the need for mental healthcare since arriving in Turkey. The actual number contacting any mental health service, however, was very low (N=6). Multivariate analyses revealed that traumatic stress scores predicted the perceived need for contacting services. Though women reported much higher need for contact with mental health services than men, there was no gender effect on actual contact. Speaking Turkish seemed to increase contact with services, which is in line with language being listed as the most important barrier to accessing care. Conclusions: Our results show that, although refugees with mental health problems are more likely to contact services than others, most of those who need mental health care go untreated, and there is a significant gender inequity in this regard. To address this treatment gap, and to provide adequate care for refugees with mental health problems, common barriers (language, stigma, and awareness) should be identified and dealt with.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sofie Hansen ◽  
Gry Kjaersdam Telléus ◽  
Christina Mohr-Jensen ◽  
Marlene Briciet Lauritsen

Abstract Background: Many children and adolescents with impairing mental health disorders are not in contact with specialized child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). In order to close the service gap, it is important to increase our knowledge of barriers to access. The aim of this study was to investigate parent perceived barriers to accessing services for their child’s mental health problems to identify potential areas for improvement of access to CAMHS. Method: In this cross-sectional observational study 244 parents of children and adolescents referred to outpatient psychiatric assessment were interviewed using the Children’s services interview regarding barriers to accessing child mental health services across healthcare, educational services and social services. Parent reported barriers were analyzed in relation to the child’s age, referral reason, symptom duration and impairment of the child. Results: The most commonly reported barriers were lack of information about were to seek help (60.3%), the perception that professionals did not listen (59.8%) and professionals refusing to initiate interventions or provide referral to services (53.7%). Lack of knowledge, stigmatization and unavailability of services were common themes across barriers to help-seeking. Long symptom duration and parent rated impairment was associated with increased risk of reporting several barriers to help-seeking. Conclusion: Parents seeking help for their child’s mental health encounter numerous barriers that could explain part of the treatment gap and long duration of mental health problems in children prior to referral to CAMHS.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cengiz Kilic ◽  
Edip Kaya ◽  
Ozge Karadag ◽  
Sarp Uner

Abstract Background Syrian refugees are seriously traumatized by the conflict in their country. Consequently, mental health problems, particularly depression and PTSD, are prevalent among refugees. Despite this fact, they make little use of mental health services. Using a population sample of Syrian refugees living in Ankara, we assessed the perceived need for and contact with mental health services, as well as the barriers to access these services. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 420 Syrian refugees living in Ankara city center, using face to face interviews administered at the respondents’ home by trained, Arabic-speaking interviewers. The data were collected in October–November 2016 in two neighborhoods of Ankara, where most of Syrian refugees were concentrated. PTSD and depression were assessed using Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Both measures have been validated in Arabic. Results Of all the refugees in our sample, 14.8% (N = 62) stated that they felt the need for mental healthcare since arriving in Turkey. The actual number contacting any mental health service, however, was very low (N = 6). Multivariate analyses revealed that traumatic stress scores predicted the perceived need for contacting services. Though women reported much higher need for contact with mental health services than men, there was no gender effect on actual contact. Speaking Turkish seemed to increase contact with services, which is in line with language being listed as the most important barrier to accessing care. Conclusions Our results show that, although refugees with mental health problems are more likely to contact services than others, most of those who need mental health care go untreated, and there is a significant gender inequity in this regard. To address this treatment gap, and to provide adequate care for refugees with mental health problems, common barriers (language, stigma, and awareness) should be identified and dealt with.


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