scholarly journals Medical Help-Seeking Strategies for Perinatal Women With Obstetric and Mental Health Problems and Changes in Medical Decision Making Based on Online Health Information: Path Analysis (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyungmi Chung ◽  
Hee Young Cho ◽  
Young Ran Kim ◽  
Kyungun Jhung ◽  
Hwa Seon Koo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mental Health Problem ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Perinatal Women

BACKGROUND Previous studies have revealed that most pregnant women rarely discuss informal information found on the internet with health professionals and have frequently expressed concerns for medical experts’ reactions to the online information they shared, as well as the lack of time to consult the medical experts in general. To date, little information is available on the effect of individual differences in utilizing medical help-seeking strategies on their medical decisions during the perinatal period. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were (1) to determine associations among perinatal women’s medical help-seeking strategies, changes in medical decision making, and online health information utilization with a focus on the mediating effect of self-efficacy in perinatal health literacy on the intent to consult health professionals, and (2) to clarify these associations in perinatal women with two different medical problems: obstetric and mental health. METHODS A total of 164 perinatal women aged 24 to 47 years (mean 34.64, SD 3.80) repeatedly completed the Problem Solving in Medicine and Online Health Information Utilization questionnaires to examine the moderating effect of two types of medical problems on their decision-making processes. To validate the hypothesized relationships in the proposed conceptual model encompassing obstetric and mental health problem-solving models, path analyses were performed. RESULTS This study found that some perinatal women, who use an online informal medical help-seeking (OIMH) strategy, would be more likely to change their medical decisions based only on internet-based information without consulting health professionals (<i>P</i>&lt;.001), compared to other women using different medical help-seeking strategies. Particularly, this concern is significantly prevalent when encountering obstetric problems during the perinatal period (obstetric problem-solving: <i>P</i>&lt;.001; mental health problem-solving: <i>P</i>=.02). Furthermore, perinatal women with mental health issues using the OIMH strategy showed a significant difference in intent to consult health professionals based on online health information when the medical problem they had to solve was different (obstetric problem-solving: <i>P</i>=.94; mental health problem-solving: <i>P</i>=.003). CONCLUSIONS Despite the positive mediating effects of perinatal women’s enhanced health literacy on the intent to discuss personal medical issues with health professionals based on online health information, the strategy used is of fundamental importance for understanding their help-seeking and decision-making processes during the perinatal period. Beyond a short consultation to steer patients quickly and authoritatively towards an obstetric doctor’s choice of action, it is recommended in this study that obstetricians attempt to provide their patients with needed context for the information found online. To fully explain this information with an open mind, they should actively develop or support information and communications technology (ICT)-based health information services.

scholarly journals Medical Help-Seeking Strategies for Perinatal Women With Obstetric and Mental Health Problems and Changes in Medical Decision Making Based on Online Health Information: Path Analysis

10.2196/14095 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. e14095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyungmi Chung ◽  
Hee Young Cho ◽  
Young Ran Kim ◽  
Kyungun Jhung ◽  
Hwa Seon Koo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Mental Health Problem ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Perinatal Women

Background Previous studies have revealed that most pregnant women rarely discuss informal information found on the internet with health professionals and have frequently expressed concerns for medical experts’ reactions to the online information they shared, as well as the lack of time to consult the medical experts in general. To date, little information is available on the effect of individual differences in utilizing medical help-seeking strategies on their medical decisions during the perinatal period. Objective The objectives of this study were (1) to determine associations among perinatal women’s medical help-seeking strategies, changes in medical decision making, and online health information utilization with a focus on the mediating effect of self-efficacy in perinatal health literacy on the intent to consult health professionals, and (2) to clarify these associations in perinatal women with two different medical problems: obstetric and mental health. Methods A total of 164 perinatal women aged 24 to 47 years (mean 34.64, SD 3.80) repeatedly completed the Problem Solving in Medicine and Online Health Information Utilization questionnaires to examine the moderating effect of two types of medical problems on their decision-making processes. To validate the hypothesized relationships in the proposed conceptual model encompassing obstetric and mental health problem-solving models, path analyses were performed. Results This study found that some perinatal women, who use an online informal medical help-seeking (OIMH) strategy, would be more likely to change their medical decisions based only on internet-based information without consulting health professionals (P<.001), compared to other women using different medical help-seeking strategies. Particularly, this concern is significantly prevalent when encountering obstetric problems during the perinatal period (obstetric problem-solving: P<.001; mental health problem-solving: P=.02). Furthermore, perinatal women with mental health issues using the OIMH strategy showed a significant difference in intent to consult health professionals based on online health information when the medical problem they had to solve was different (obstetric problem-solving: P=.94; mental health problem-solving: P=.003). Conclusions Despite the positive mediating effects of perinatal women’s enhanced health literacy on the intent to discuss personal medical issues with health professionals based on online health information, the strategy used is of fundamental importance for understanding their help-seeking and decision-making processes during the perinatal period. Beyond a short consultation to steer patients quickly and authoritatively towards an obstetric doctor’s choice of action, it is recommended in this study that obstetricians attempt to provide their patients with needed context for the information found online. To fully explain this information with an open mind, they should actively develop or support information and communications technology (ICT)-based health information services.

scholarly journals A Typology of Patients Based on Decision-Making Styles: Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne FitzPatrick ◽  
Alexandra Claudia Hess ◽  
Lynn Sudbury-Riley ◽  
Peter Johannes Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patient Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Practitioners ◽  
Patient Decision ◽  
Decision Making Styles

BACKGROUND Although previous research shows broad differences in the impact of online health information on patient-practitioner decision making, specific research is required to identify and conceptualize patient decision-making styles related to the use of online health information and to differentiate segments according to the influence of online information on patient decision making and interactions with health professionals. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate patients’ decision making in relation to online health information and interactions with health care practitioners. We also aimed to present a typology of patients based on significant differences in their decision making. METHODS We applied a large-scale cross-sectional research design using a survey. Data, generated using a questionnaire that was administered by companies specializing in providing online panels, were collected from random samples of baby boomers in the United Kingdom, the United States, and New Zealand. The total sample comprised 996 baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, who had used the internet in the previous 6 months to search for and share health-related information. Data were analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, as well as one-way analysis of variance, chi-square tests, and paired sample <italic>t</italic> tests. RESULTS Analyses identified 3 key decision-making styles that served as the base for 4 unique and stable segments of patients with distinctive decision-making styles: the Collaborators (229/996, 23.0%), the Autonomous-Collaborators (385/996, 38.7%), the Assertive-Collaborators (111/996, 11.1%), and the Passives (271/996, 27.2%). Profiles were further developed for these segments according to key differences in the online health information behavior, demographics, and interactional behaviors of patients. The typology demonstrates that collaborative decision making is dominant among patients either in its pure form or in combination with autonomous or assertive decision making. In other words, most patients (725/996, 72.8%) show significant collaboration in their decision making with health care professionals. However, at times, patients in the combination Autonomous-Collaborative segment prefer to exercise individual autonomy in their decision making, and those in the combination Assertive-Collaborative segment prefer to be assertive with health professionals. Finally, this study shows that a substantial number of patients adopt a distinctly passive decision-making style (271/996, 27.2%). CONCLUSIONS The patient typology provides a framework for distinguishing practice-relevant and addressable segments with important implications for health care practitioners, including better-targeted communication programs for patients and more successful outcomes for health care services in the long term.

scholarly journals A Typology of Patients Based on Decision-Making Styles: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

10.2196/15332 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. e15332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne FitzPatrick ◽  
Alexandra Claudia Hess ◽  
Lynn Sudbury-Riley ◽  
Peter Johannes Schulz
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patient Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Practitioners ◽  
Patient Decision ◽  
Decision Making Styles

Background Although previous research shows broad differences in the impact of online health information on patient-practitioner decision making, specific research is required to identify and conceptualize patient decision-making styles related to the use of online health information and to differentiate segments according to the influence of online information on patient decision making and interactions with health professionals. Objective This study aimed to investigate patients’ decision making in relation to online health information and interactions with health care practitioners. We also aimed to present a typology of patients based on significant differences in their decision making. Methods We applied a large-scale cross-sectional research design using a survey. Data, generated using a questionnaire that was administered by companies specializing in providing online panels, were collected from random samples of baby boomers in the United Kingdom, the United States, and New Zealand. The total sample comprised 996 baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, who had used the internet in the previous 6 months to search for and share health-related information. Data were analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, as well as one-way analysis of variance, chi-square tests, and paired sample t tests. Results Analyses identified 3 key decision-making styles that served as the base for 4 unique and stable segments of patients with distinctive decision-making styles: the Collaborators (229/996, 23.0%), the Autonomous-Collaborators (385/996, 38.7%), the Assertive-Collaborators (111/996, 11.1%), and the Passives (271/996, 27.2%). Profiles were further developed for these segments according to key differences in the online health information behavior, demographics, and interactional behaviors of patients. The typology demonstrates that collaborative decision making is dominant among patients either in its pure form or in combination with autonomous or assertive decision making. In other words, most patients (725/996, 72.8%) show significant collaboration in their decision making with health care professionals. However, at times, patients in the combination Autonomous-Collaborative segment prefer to exercise individual autonomy in their decision making, and those in the combination Assertive-Collaborative segment prefer to be assertive with health professionals. Finally, this study shows that a substantial number of patients adopt a distinctly passive decision-making style (271/996, 27.2%). Conclusions The patient typology provides a framework for distinguishing practice-relevant and addressable segments with important implications for health care practitioners, including better-targeted communication programs for patients and more successful outcomes for health care services in the long term.

scholarly journals Health Information Obtained From the Internet and Changes in Medical Decision Making: Questionnaire Development and Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Yuan Chen ◽  
Chia-Ming Li ◽  
Jyh-Chong Liang ◽  
Chin-Chung Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Medical Decision Making ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Online Health Information ◽  
Information Utilization

BACKGROUND The increasing utilization of the internet has provided a better opportunity for people to search online for health information, which was not easily available to them in the past. Studies reported that searching on the internet for health information may potentially influence an individual’s decision making to change her health-seeking behaviors. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to (1) develop and validate 2 questionnaires to estimate the strategies of problem-solving in medicine and utilization of online health information, (2) determine the association between searching online for health information and utilization of online health information, and (3) determine the association between online medical help-seeking and utilization of online health information. METHODS The Problem Solving in Medicine and Online Health Information Utilization questionnaires were developed and implemented in this study. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis to examine the structure of the factor loadings and intercorrelations for all the items and dimensions. We employed Pearson correlation coefficients for examining the correlations between each dimension of the Problem Solving in Medicine questionnaire and each dimension of the Online Health Information Utilization questionnaire. Furthermore, we conducted structure equation modeling for examining the possible linkage between each of the 6 dimensions of the Problem Solving in Medicine questionnaire and each of the 3 dimensions of the Online Health Information Utilization questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 457 patients participated in this study. Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from .12 to .41, all with statistical significance, implying that each dimension of the Problem Solving in Medicine questionnaire was significantly associated with each dimension of the Online Health Information Utilization questionnaire. Patients with the strategy of online health information search for solving medical problems positively predicted changes in medical decision making (P=.01), consulting with others (P<.001), and promoting self-efficacy on deliberating the online health information (P<.001) based on the online health information they obtained. CONCLUSIONS Present health care professionals have a responsibility to acknowledge that patients’ medical decision making may be changed based on additional online health information. Health care professionals should assist patients’ medical decision making by initiating as much dialogue with patients as possible, providing credible and convincing health information to patients, and guiding patients where to look for accurate, comprehensive, and understandable online health information. By doing so, patients will avoid becoming overwhelmed with extraneous and often conflicting health information. Educational interventions to promote health information seekers’ ability to identify, locate, obtain, read, understand, evaluate, and effectively use online health information are highly encouraged.

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.

Indigenous Language Media and Communication for Health Purposes in the Digital Age

2022 ◽  
pp. 33-49
Author(s):  
Toyosi Olugbenga Samson Owolabi ◽  
Nahimah Ajikanle Nurudeen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Indigenous Language ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
The People ◽  
The World ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Potential Channels ◽  
Media And Communication

All over the world, the issues of health and ill health have generated heightened attention among health professionals and communication experts. This is expected in view of the prevalence of increasingly life-threatening ailments. It is therefore not surprising that matters bordering on health have been elevated to the front burner of policy and decision making both at the national and multinational levels. This chapter, therefore, observes that the reason most health information doesn't get to the intended audiences and produce the desired effect is because they are not communicated in the most intelligible language to the people. Indigenous language media are potential channels through which health information could reach the grassroots where more than 70 percent of the nation's populations are resident. It also perceived that health communication could be made to produce more effect in this digital era as more citizen journalists could be raised to communicate in the indigenous language.

scholarly journals Profiling mental health professionals in relation to perceived interprofessional collaboration on teams

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205031211984146
Author(s):  
Nicolas Ndibu Muntu Keba Kebe ◽  
François Chiocchio ◽  
Jean-Marie Bamvita ◽  
Marie-Josée Fleury
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Knowledge Integration ◽  
Interprofessional Collaboration ◽  
Professional Role ◽  
Mutual Trust ◽  
Participation In Decision Making

Objectives: This study aims at identifying profiles of mental health professionals based on individual, interactional, structural and professional role characteristics related to interprofessional collaboration. Methods: Mental health professionals ( N = 315) working in primary health care and specialized mental health teams in four Quebec local service networks completed a self-administered questionnaire eliciting information on individual, interactional, structural and professional role characteristics. Results: Cluster analysis identified four profiles of mental health professionals. Those with the highest interprofessional collaboration scores comprised two profiles labeled “highly collaborative female professionals with fewer conflicts and more knowledge sharing and integration” and “highly collaborative male professionals with fewer conflicts, more participation in decision-making and mutual trust.” By contrast, the profile labeled “slightly collaborative professionals with high seniority, many conflicts and less knowledge integration and mutual trust” had the lowest interprofessional collaboration score. Another profile positioned between these groups was identified as “moderately collaborative female psychosocial professionals with less participation in decision-making.” Discussion and conclusion: Organizational support, participation in decision-making, knowledge sharing, knowledge integration, mutual trust, affective commitment toward the team, professional diversity and belief in the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration were features associated with profiles where perceived interprofessional collaboration was higher. These team qualities should be strongly encouraged by mental health managers for improving interprofessional collaboration. Training is also needed to promote improvement in interprofessional collaboration competencies.

scholarly journals Mental health professionals’ perceptions on patients control of data sharing

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 2011-2029 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Ivanova ◽  
Adela Grando ◽  
Anita Murcko ◽  
Michael Saks ◽  
Mary Jo Whitfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Data Sharing ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Timely Access ◽  
The Impact

Integrated mental and physical care environments require data sharing, but little is known about health professionals’ perceptions of patient-controlled health data sharing. We describe mental health professionals’ views on patient-controlled data sharing using semi-structured interviews and a mixed-method analysis with thematic coding. Health information rights, specifically those of patients and health care professionals, emerged as a key theme. Behavioral health professionals identified patient motivations for non-sharing sensitive mental health records relating to substance use, emergency treatment, and serious mental illness (94%). We explore conflicts between professional need for timely access to health information and patient desire to withhold some data categories. Health professionals’ views on data sharing are integral to the redesign of health data sharing and informed consent. As well, they seek clarity about the impact of patient-controlled sharing on health professionals’ roles and scope of practice.

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.

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