scholarly journals Predictors of help-seeking behaviour in people with mental health problems: a 3-year prospective community study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin M. Doll ◽  
Chantal Michel ◽  
Marlene Rosen ◽  
Naweed Osman ◽  
Benno G. Schimmelmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Community Study ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Anticipated Stigma

Abstract Background The majority of people with mental illness do not seek help at all or only with significant delay. To reduce help-seeking barriers for people with mental illness, it is therefore important to understand factors predicting help-seeking. Thus, we prospectively examined potential predictors of help-seeking behaviour among people with mental health problems (N = 307) over 3 years. Methods Of the participants of a 3-year follow-up of a larger community study (response rate: 66.4%), data of 307 (56.6%) persons with any mental health problems (age-at-baseline: 16–40 years) entered a structural equation model of the influence of help-seeking, stigma, help-seeking attitudes, functional impairments, age and sex at baseline on subsequent help-seeking for mental health problems. Results Functional impairment at baseline was the strongest predictor of follow-up help-seeking in the model. Help-seeking at baseline was the second-strongest predictor of subsequent help-seeking, which was less likely when help-seeking for mental health problems was assumed to be embarrassing. Personal and perceived stigma, and help-seeking intentions had no direct effect on help-seeking. Conclusions With only 22.5% of persons with mental health problems seeking any help for these, there was a clear treatment gap. Functional deficits were the strongest mediator of help-seeking, indicating that help is only sought when mental health problems have become more severe. Earlier help-seeking seemed to be mostly impeded by anticipated stigma towards help-seeking for mental health problems. Thus, factors or beliefs conveying such anticipated stigma should be studied longitudinally in more detail to be able to establish low-threshold services in future.

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.

The development and results of the European Mental Health Integration Index (2014)

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 205-210
Author(s):  
Peter John Huxley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Community Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Integration

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the development and results of the Mental Health Inclusion Index. Design/methodology/approach – Data gathering and interviews with key policy makers in 30 countries in Europe (the EU28 plus Switzerland and Norway). Data gathered enabled the production of an 18 indicator benchmarking index ranking the 30 countries based on their commitment to integrating people with mental illness. Findings – The main findings were: mental illness exacts a substantial human and economic toll on Europe, and there is a substantial treatment gap, especially for people with common mental health problems. Germany’s generous social provision and strong healthcare system put it number one in the Mental Health Integration Index. The UK and Scandinavian states come next. The lowest-scoring countries in the index are from Europe’s south-east, where there is a long history of neglect of mental illness and poorly developed community services. One needs to understand that the leading countries are not the only ones providing examples of best practice in integrating those with mental illness. Employment is the field of greatest concern for people with mental illness, but employment is also the area with the most inconsistent policies across Europe. A distinction can be made between countries whose policies are aspirational and those where implantation is support by substantial and most importantly sustained, resource investment. Europe as a whole is only in the early stages of the journey from institution- to community-based care. Lack of data makes greater understanding of this field difficult, and improvement can only be demonstrated by repeated surveys of this kind, based on more substantial, comprehensive and coherent information. Research limitations/implications – Usual caveats about the use of surveys. Missing data due to non-response and poverty of mental health inclusion data in many European countries. Practical implications – The author reflects on the findings and considers areas for future action. The main implications are: better services result from substantial, but most importantly, sustained investment; and that employment is most important to people with mental health problems, but is one of the most inconsistent policy areas across Europe. Social implications – Supports the need for consistent investment in community mental health services and more consistent employment policies in Europe. Originality/value – This survey is the first of its kind in Europe, and was conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit in London, and sponsored by Janssen.

scholarly journals Help-seeking behaviour in men and women with common mental health problems: cross-sectional study

2005 ◽  
Vol 186 (4) ◽  
pp. 297-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Isabel Oliver ◽  
Nicky Pearson ◽  
Nicola Coe ◽  
David Gunnell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Professional Help ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour

BackgroundMany people with mental health problems do not seek professional help but their use of other sources of help is unclear.AimsTo investigate patterns of lay and professional help-seeking in men and women aged 16–64 years in relation to severity of symptoms and sociodemographic variables.MethodPostal questionnaire survey, including the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ–12), sent to a stratified random sample (n=15222) of the population of Somerset.ResultsThe response rate was 76%. Only 28% of people with extremely high GHQ–12 scores (⩾8) had sought help from their general practitioner but most (78%) had sought some form of help. Males, young people and people living in affluent areas were the least likely to seek help.ConclusionsHealth promotion interventions to encourage appropriate help-seeking behaviour in young people, particularly in men, may lead to improvements in the mental health of this group of the population.

scholarly journals Reducing psychiatric stigma and discrimination: evaluation of educational interventions in UK secondary schools

2003 ◽  
Vol 182 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Pinfold ◽  
Hilary Toulmin ◽  
Graham Thornicroft ◽  
Peter Huxley ◽  
Paul Farmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Young People ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
School Students ◽  
Negative Stereotypes

BackgroundThe persistent and disabling nature of psychiatric stigma has led to the establishment of global programmes to challenge the negative stereotypes and discriminatory responses that generate social disability but these initiatives are rarely evaluated.AimsTo assess the effectiveness of an intervention with young people aimed at increasing mental health literacy and challenging negative stereotypes associated with severe mental illness.MethodA total of 472 secondary school students attended two mental health awareness workshops and completed pre- and post-questionnaires detailing knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions.ResultsYoung people use an extensive vocabulary of 270 different words and phrases to describe people with mental health problems: most were derogatory terms. Mean positive attitude scores rose significantly from 1.2 at baseline to 2.8 at 1-week follow-up and 2.3 at a 6-month follow-up. Changes were most marked for female students and those reporting personal contact with people with mental illness.ConclusionsShort educational workshops can produce positive changes in participants' reported attitudes towards people with mental health problems.

Recall of News Stories About Mental Illness by Australian Youth: Associations with Help-Seeking Attitudes and Stigma

2009 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 866-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy J. Morgan ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
News Story ◽  
Help Seeking Attitudes ◽  
News Stories ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Willingness To Seek Help

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate what news stories about mental illness are recalled by Australian youth and whether these are associated with stigma and help-seeking beliefs. Method: A random sample of 3746 Australian youth aged 12–25 years were interviewed about mental health literacy in 2006. As part of the interview, they were asked whether they could recall any news stories about mental health problems during the past 12 months. Stigma was assessed, as well as willingness to seek help for a mental illness described in a vignette. Common news story themes were entered as predictors of stigma components and willingness to seek help in a series of logistic regressions. Results: Only a minority of youth could recall a news story about mental illness. The most common stories recalled were those involving crime or violence; mental health system failures; or disclosures of mental illness by prominent individuals. Recall of a disclosure by a prominent individual was associated with beliefs that people with mental illness are sick rather than weak, while recall of a story involving crime or violence was associated with greater reluctance to tell anyone about a mental health problem. There were no types of stories that predicted willingness to seek help. Conclusions: There is some evidence that recall of positive or negative news stories is associated with specific components of stigma. Overall, however, recall of news stories about mental illness added little explanatory power to differences in stigma or help-seeking intentions.

scholarly journals Attitudes of people working in mental health non-governmental organisations in Australia: A comparison with other mental health professionals

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 205510291876541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grenville Rose ◽  
Courtney von Hippel ◽  
Loren Brener ◽  
Bill von Hippel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Mental Health Clients

Research suggests that stigma impacts help-seeking behaviour and health outcomes for people affected by mental illness. This study compared the attitudes of Australian non-governmental organisation support workers towards people with mental illness with those of other health professionals. Three hundred and seventy four support workers were randomly allocated to answer questions about one of the six vignettes. Results indicated that non-governmental organisation support workers held more positive attitudes towards people with mental illness than those of general practitioners, psychiatrists and psychologists measured in prior research. These results suggest that non-governmental organisations may be a more positive and comfortable entry and referral point for mental health clients.

scholarly journals Mental health problems of undocumented migrants (UMs) in the Netherlands: a qualitative exploration of help-seeking behaviour and experiences with primary care: Table 1

BMJ Open ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
pp. e005738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Teunissen ◽  
Jamilah Sherally ◽  
Maria van den Muijsenbergh ◽  
Chris Dowrick ◽  
Evelyn van Weel-Baumgarten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Undocumented Migrants ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Qualitative Exploration

scholarly journals Is Knowledge Enough? The Relationship Between Mental Health Knowledge and Stigmatising Attitudes Among Australian Adolescents

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmelin Teng ◽  
Venning Anthony ◽  
Winefield Helen ◽  
Crabb Shona
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Young People ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Health Behaviour ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Health Problems

Background: Young people carry mental health problems disproportionate to the size of their population, and rates of help-seeking are low. School mental health programs have been developed to address these issues, founded on an educational approach to target mental health literacy, and indirectly improve help-seeking. However, it has been suggested that knowledge does not necessarily predict health behaviour in young people. Objective/Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore whether knowledge about mental illness was related to attitudes towards mental illness and intentions to seek help in a sample of adolescent girls (N=327). Results: Results indicated a weak negative relationship between knowledge about mental health and stigmatising attitudes about mental illness, but no relationship between knowledge about mental health and intentions to seek help for mental health problems. When mental health was categorised (e.g., optimal vs. poorer mental health), a negative relationship between knowledge about and stigmatising attitudes toward mental health was shown in those with poor mental health, but not for adolescents categorised as having moderate or optimal mental health. Conclusion: Findings suggest that while the traditional adage - more information on mental health equals better attitude to mental health - may be true for those with ‘poorer’ levels of mental health (e.g., high levels of psychological distress), it may not reduce stigma associated with mental illness or motivate positive health behaviour in adolescent girls with ‘optimal’ mental health (e.g., low or no levels of psychological distress). .

scholarly journals Association between public views of mental illness and self-stigma among individuals with mental illness in 14 European countries

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1741-1752 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Evans-Lacko ◽  
E. Brohan ◽  
R. Mojtabai ◽  
G. Thornicroft
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Mental Illness Stigma ◽  
Public Stigma ◽  
The Public

BackgroundLittle is known about how the views of the public are related to self-stigma among people with mental health problems. Despite increasing activity aimed at reducing mental illness stigma, there is little evidence to guide and inform specific anti-stigma campaign development and messages to be used in mass campaigns. A better understanding of the association between public knowledge, attitudes and behaviours and the internalization of stigma among people with mental health problems is needed.MethodThis study links two large, international datasets to explore the association between public stigma in 14 European countries (Eurobarometer survey) and individual reports of self-stigma, perceived discrimination and empowerment among persons with mental illness (n=1835) residing in those countries [the Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks (GAMIAN) study].ResultsIndividuals with mental illness living in countries with less stigmatizing attitudes, higher rates of help-seeking and treatment utilization and better perceived access to information had lower rates of self-stigma and perceived discrimination and those living in countries where the public felt more comfortable talking to people with mental illness had less self-stigma and felt more empowered.ConclusionsTargeting the general public through mass anti-stigma interventions may lead to a virtuous cycle by disrupting the negative feedback engendered by public stigma, thereby reducing self-stigma among people with mental health problems. A combined approach involving knowledge, attitudes and behaviour is needed; mass interventions that facilitate disclosure and positive social contact may be the most effective. Improving availability of information about mental health issues and facilitating access to care and help-seeking also show promise with regard to stigma.

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