scholarly journals Understanding mental health help-seeking preferences of Chinese young overseas students, and their perceived barriers and facilitators to seek help

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-223
Author(s):  
Fengjiao Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Overseas Students ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Seeking Help

Aim. The research explores the mental health help-seeking preferences of Chinese young overseas students (CYOS) as well as their perceived barriers and facilitators to seek help. Methods. Eight Chinese young overseas students who are currently studying in the US were interviewed, and a thematic analysis was undertaken on their responses. Conclusions. Five barriers and six facilitators were identified. Young overseas students considered perceiving the problems as not serious, negative attitude toward help seeking, being not willing to burden somebody else, lack of understanding of the process of mental health support, and issues of confidentiality and trust as the most important barriers to help seeking. Facilitators include positive attitudes towards help seeking, positive relationship with help providers, perceiving the problem as serious, easy access, confidentiality and trust, and previous habit of seeking help. Research restrictions. The samples are relatively homogeneous and could not represent all CYOS and thus lacked generalizability. Only interviews were applied for data collection, which has an impact on the credibility and trustworthiness of the research. Practical application. Strategies for improving help-seeking should focus on improving mental health literacy of these young people, their peers and parents, building positive relationships with help providers, and cultivating good help-seeking habits before they go abroad.

scholarly journals Adolescents’ perceived barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing professional help for anxiety and depressive disorders: a qualitative interview study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerica Radez ◽  
Tessa Reardon ◽  
Cathy Creswell ◽  
Faith Orchard ◽  
Polly Waite
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Barriers And Facilitators ◽  
Social Evaluation ◽  
Professional Help ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study

AbstractAnxiety and depressive disorders are the most common mental health disorders in adolescents, yet only a minority of young people with these disorders access professional help. This study aims to address this treatment gap by improving our understanding of barriers and facilitators to seeking/accessing professional help as perceived by adolescents with anxiety/depressive disorders identified in the community. Twenty-two adolescents, aged 11–17 years, who met diagnostic criteria for a current anxiety and/or depressive disorder were identified through school-based screening. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted one-to-one with each adolescent and adolescents’ parents were interviewed separately for the purpose of data triangulation. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. We identified four themes capturing adolescent perceived barriers and facilitators to seeking/accessing professional help for anxiety and depressive disorders: (1) making sense of difficulties, (2) problem disclosure, (3) ambivalence to seeking help, and (4) the instrumental role of others. Barriers/facilitators identified within each theme reflect important developmental characteristics of adolescence, such as a growing need for autonomy and concerns around negative social evaluation. At the same time, the results highlight adolescents’ dependency on other people, mainly their parents and school staff, when it comes to successfully accessing professional help for their mental health difficulties. This study identifies a number of barriers/facilitators that influence help-seeking behaviour of adolescents with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. These factors need to be addressed when targeting treatment utilisation rates in this particular group of young people.

scholarly journals Integration Is Correlated With Mental Health Help-Seeking From the General Practitioner: Syrian Refugees' Preferences and Perceived Barriers

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Marie Harris ◽  
Gro M. Sandal ◽  
Hege H. Bye ◽  
Lawrence A. Palinkas ◽  
Per-Einar Binder
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
General Practitioner ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Majority Population ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Psychological Integration

Despite a seemingly higher need, refugees in Europe tend to underuse mental health (MH) services. To better understand this underuse, it is important to understand refugees' willingness and ability to seek help from their general practitioner (GP) when experiencing MH problems. We employed a combined vignette and survey design to explore how the GP fits into the larger context of help-seeking preferences among a sample of Syrian refugees in Norway (n = 92), and what barriers they perceive in accessing help from the GP. We also examined how indicators of integration relate to seeking help from the GP. We take an exploratory approach. Participants were presented a vignette of an individual with symptoms in line with ICD-10 and DSM-5 criteria for depression. Participants were somewhat likely to seek help from the GP; however, seeking help from one's relationship with Allah/God and one's partner was preferred. Furthermore, while the GP was rated a somewhat likely help-seeking source, most participants indicated an average of two barriers to seeking help from the GP. Finally, social ties to the majority population in the form of social integration and feelings of connectedness with the host country (psychological integration) were positively correlated with likelihood of seeking help from the GP. Taken together, these findings suggest that the GP is considered a viable source of help among Syrians with a refugee background in the current sample, but that this may be influenced by perceived barriers and social as well as psychological integration. Addressing these barriers and promoting psychosocial integration with the host country are key to facilitating access and usage amongst refugees in need of MH services.

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 Stigma associated with and attitude regarding mental health help-seeking among undergraduate nursing students in Karachi, Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salima Farooq ◽  
Yasmin Parpio ◽  
Saadia Sattar ◽  
Zahra Ali ◽  
Shirin Rahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing Students ◽  
Undergraduate Nursing ◽  
History Of ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Background Globally, the prevalence of mental illness amongst university students is a major concern; same is the case with nursing students. Unaddressed mental illness stigma contributes towards hiding of symptoms hampers timely identification of the disease, and leads to reluctance in attitude towards seeking help. This study determined personal and perceived depression stigma and attitude towards help-seeking behaviors and its associated factors, among undergraduate nursing students at a private nursing institution in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study by recruiting 246 first and second-Year undergraduate nursing students using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using the Depression Stigma Scale (DSS) and the Attitude toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS), along with a demographic questionnaire. Chi-square test, Fischer’s exact test and student T test were used to determine significance of difference of each response between first and second year students. Multiple linear regression was employed to determine predictors of DSS and ATSPPHS. Approval was obtained from the university’s Ethics Review Committee. Results The study findings revealed that the mean scores of the personal and perceived stigma scales were 29.7 ± 4.9 and 24.3 ± 6.1, respectively. The mean score of ATSPPHS was 16.5 ± 3.8. The participants reported a mean openness score of7.8 ± 2.6 and a value scale score of 8.7 ± 3.0. A history of psychiatric illness, current living arrangements, and personal depression stigma were found to be significant predictors of ATSPHHS. The year of study was a significant predictor of personal depression stigma whereas both years of study and the current living arrangements were significantly associated with perceived depression stigma. Conclusion Attitude towards seeking help for mental illness was significantly influenced by personal and perceived stigma. Moreover, previous history of psychiatric illness and living arrangements also predicted attitudes towards seeking help. In order to encourage positive attitudes towards seeking help for students’ well-being, it is essential to destigmatize mental health issues by adapting context-based, individualized, and group mental health interventions.

scholarly journals Attitudinal and demographic factors associated with seeking help and receiving antidepressant medication for symptoms of common mental disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena A. Manescu ◽  
Emily J. Robinson ◽  
Claire Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Problem ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Common Mental Disorder ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Positive Effect

Abstract Background Despite the increased attention given to improvement of mental health-related knowledge and attitudes, rates of help-seeking for mental illness remain low even in countries with well-developed mental health services. This study examines the relationships between attitudes to mental illness, symptoms of common mental disorder and seeking-help and receiving medication for a mental health problem. Methods We used data from the nationally representative Health Survey for England 2014 to design three logistic regression models to test for the effects of attitudes to mental illness (measured by a shortened version of the Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill, CAMI scale) on: recent contact with a doctor for a mental health problem; use of any type of mental health service in the last 12 months; and having antidepressants currently prescribed, while controlling for symptoms of common mental disorder (measured by the General Health Questionnaire, GHQ). We also tested for an interaction between attitudes to mental illness and symptoms of common mental disorder on the outcomes. Results A significant but very small effect of CAMI score was found on ‘antidepressants currently prescribed’ model (OR = 1.01(1.00, 1.02) but not on the two indicators of help-seeking. We also found a significant but very small interaction between CAMI and GHQ scores on recent contact with a doctor (OR = 0.99, 95% CI (0.990, 0.998); adjusted Wald test P = 0.01)). Knowing someone with a mental illness had a significant positive effect on help-seeking indicated by: (a) recent contact with a doctor (2.65 (1.01, 6.98)) and (b) currently prescribed antidepressant (2.67 (1.9, 3.75)) after controlling for attitudes to mental illness. Conclusions Our results suggest that knowing someone with a mental health problem seems to have a further positive effect on help-seeking, beyond improving attitudes to mental illness. Furthermore, multiple different types and aspects of stigma may contribute to help-seeking behaviours, consequently multi-faceted approaches are likely to be most efficient.

Knowledge and attitudes towards hepatitis C and injecting drug use among mental-health support workers of a community managed organisation

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grenville Rose ◽  
Elena Cama ◽  
Loren Brener ◽  
Carla Treloar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Hepatitis C ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Injecting Drug Use ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support

Objectives People with mental illness are at significantly higher risk of acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV) compared with the general population. This study assessed knowledge of and attitudes towards people with HCV and people who inject drugs (PWID) among support workers of clients with mental illness. Methods Support workers from a community managed organisation (CMO) in Australia were recruited to complete an online cross-sectional survey. The survey collected data about their knowledge of HCV and attitudes towards PWID and people with HCV. Results Valid responses were received from 117 support workers. Although HCV knowledge was moderate, there were significant knowledge gaps around transmission and treatment of HCV. Higher HCV knowledge was significantly associated with more positive attitudes towards PWID, but not with attitudes towards people with HCV. Participants had more positive attitudes towards people with HCV than towards PWID. Additionally, those with more positive attitudes towards HCV tended to also have more positive attitudes towards PWID. Conclusions Given that people with mental illness are at higher risk of acquiring HCV, these results point to the need for education targeted at support workers of clients with mental illness to increase HCV knowledge and promote positive attitudes towards PWID and people with HCV. What is known about this topic? The limited research available suggests that there are gaps in HCV knowledge among mental-health-service providers, although such research has generally targeted physicians. What does this paper add? This paper is the first to assess HCV knowledge, attitudes towards PWID and HCV among mental-health support workers. The findings suggest that although HCV knowledge is moderate, significant gaps exist, which are related to negative attitudes towards PWID. What are the implications for practitioners? Supportive and non-judgemental care is essential for people with mental illness and HCV, due to the potential for a double stigma arising from negative attitudes towards both mental illness and injecting drug use. This paper highlights the importance of targeted education for workers in the mental-health sector, to increase HCV knowledge and promote positive attitudes towards people with co-occurring mental-health, substance use problems and HCV.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Suicide Survivors—A Hidden Grieving Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Pinto ◽  
Joana Soares ◽  
Alzira Silva ◽  
Rosário Curral ◽  
Rui Coelho
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
Complicated Grief ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Suicide Survivors ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
The Impact

Present time has been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic. People are grieving several non-death related situations: the loss of a job, of a status, of a role, of their life. Restrictive measures and uncertainty about the future makes individuals vulnerable to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Mental health support has been hindered and teams are reinventing themselves to reach people in need. Nevertheless, decompensation of previous psychiatric disorders, increasing levels of depression and anxiety, economical handicaps and fear of the infection, are prompting several cases of COVID-19 related suicides worldwide. Every suicide affects between 5 and 80 individuals, which are known as suicide survivors. Suicide grief is particularly challenging, with rates of complicated grief as high as 40%. Suicide survivors are at increased risk of developing depression, anxiety disorders and of suicidal behaviors. Moreover, feelings of guilt and shame, as well as social stigma, are major obstacles for them to reach form help. This article aims to review the existing literature on COVID-19 related suicides, complicated grief in suicide survivors and highlight modifiable risk factors for both conditions, as well as propose some public health measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic context on self-inflicted harm and its consequences on families, friends and the community. Obstacles to access to mental health support need to be overcome through the use of technology. Technicians should actively approach populations more vulnerable to develop suicidal ideation. Social media have the obligation to provide accurate an non-sensationalistic information. Families and friends should maintain social proximity, despite the need for physical distancing. When a suicide death occurs, police forces and health staff should be prepared to share the news with the family using an empathic and humane approach and providing psychological support. Funerals, memorials and other services should be held as much as possible. Closer contacts should be signalized and closely followed in order to detect the need for specific interventions. Help seeking behaviors should be promoted. Additionally, people should be educated on suicide and its impacts, in order to reduce stigma.

Athletes Connected: Results From a Pilot Project to Address Knowledge and Attitudes About Mental Health Among College Student-Athletes

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Kern ◽  
William Heininger ◽  
Emily Klueh ◽  
Stephanie Salazar ◽  
Barbara Hansen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Student ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
New Research ◽  
College Student Athletes

Student-athletes experience mental health problems, but they often encounter barriers to seeking help. This study reports findings from the pilot phase of Athletes Connected (AC), a new research and practice program at the University of Michigan addressing mental health and help-seeking behaviors among collegiate student-athletes. Members of the AC team gave presentations consisting of contact- and education-based interventions to every varsity athletic team at a large Division I Midwestern university, along with pre- and postsurvey questionnaires to measure their efficacy. The presentations included an educational overview of mental health, two videos highlighting former student-athletes’ struggles with mental illnesses, and a discussion at the end with the former athletes portrayed in the videos. A total of 626 student-athletes completed the pre- and postsurveys. Results indicated significant increases in knowledge and positive attitudes toward mental health and help-seeking. These results suggest that brief contact- and education-based interventions may be helpful in reducing stigma and promoting help-seeking behavior among college student-athletes.

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