Dataset Information

Do values and political attitudes affect help-seeking? Exploring reported help-seeking for mental health problems in a general population sample using a milieu framework.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Help-seeking for mental health problems is facilitated and hindered by several factors at the individual, interpersonal and community level. The most frequently researched factors contributing to differences in help-seeking behaviour are based on classical socio-demographic variables, such as age, gender and education, but explanations for the observed differences are often absent or remain vague. The present study complements traditional approaches in help-seeking research by introducing a milieu approach, focusing on values and political attitudes as a possible explanation for differences in help-seeking for emotional mental health problems.

Methods

A representative cross-sectional survey of N = 3,042 respondents in Germany was conducted through face-to-face interviews about past help-seeking for mental health problems, socio-demographic characteristics and values and political attitudes.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that belonging to a cosmopolitan intellectual milieu group was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of past help-seeking for mental health issues (psychotherapeutic/psychological help-seeking [OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.11-3.93, p < 0.05) and primary care (OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.15-4.24, p < 0.05]), whereas members of individualist and conservative milieu groups were less likely to report having sought help from a psychotherapist, but not from a general practitioner. Increased odds ratios were also found for a number of socio-demographic variables, such as being aged 26 years and over, a female gender and more than 12 years of formal education. Associations between socio-demographic variables remained significant, and the explained variance of the used models improved considerably when milieu variables were added.

Conclusions

We discuss how milieu-specific patterns were relevant for explaining differences in mental health service use in addition to socio-demographic factors. It seems promising to consider help-seeking from a milieu perspective to improve disparities in access to and the use of psychotherapy as well as to resource allocation.

SUBMITTER: Spahlholz J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10465317 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Do values and political attitudes affect help-seeking? Exploring reported help-seeking for mental health problems in a general population sample using a milieu framework.

Spahlholz J J Baumann E E Müller-Hilmer R R Hilmer R R Sander C C Schindler S S Speerforck S S Angermeyer M C MC Schomerus G G

Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences 20230804

<h4>Aims</h4>Help-seeking for mental health problems is facilitated and hindered by several factors at the individual, interpersonal and community level. The most frequently researched factors contributing to differences in help-seeking behaviour are based on classical socio-demographic variables, such as age, gender and education, but explanations for the observed differences are often absent or remain vague. The present study complements traditional approaches in help-seeking research by intro ...[more]

PMID: 37539697

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Project description:BackgroundSeeking help for severe depressive symptoms remains a major obstacle for particular groups within the general population. Value-related attitudes might contribute to this treatment gap, particularly in rural regions with a low density of psychiatric-psychotherapeutic services. We aimed to investigate narratives of socialization, value systems, and barriers of help-seeking to better understand social milieus at increased risk for underuse of psychiatric-psychotherapeutic services in a rural area in East Germany. This could complement the explanatory power of classical socio-demographic determinants and provide guidance for possible interventions.MethodBased on results of an analysis of a population-based German cohort study (SHIP-TREND-1), 20 individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who met criteria for having been moderately or severely depressed at least once in their life. Qualitative analyses of interview data were guided by grounded theory methodology.ResultsParticipants with severe symptoms of depression were more frequent among non-responders of this study. We identified key aspects that influence help-seeking for mental health problems and seem to be characteristic for rural regions: family doctors serve as initial contact points for mental health problems and are considered as alternatives for mental health professionals; norms of traditional masculinity such as being more rational than emotional, needing to endure hardships, embodying strength, and being independent were frequently mentioned as inhibiting help-seeking by middle-aged men; anticipated adverse side-effects of therapy such as worsening of symptoms; a frequently expressed desire for less pathologically perceived treatment options.ConclusionsOur results suggest that barriers regarding help-seeking in rural regions are multifaceted and seem to be influenced by traditional norms of masculinity. We believe it is critical to strengthen existing and already utilized services such as family doctors and to implement and evaluate tailored interventions targeting the needs of the rural milieu.

Project description:BackgroundCommunity attitude towards mental health problems and help-seeking behavior plays a major role in designing effective community based mental health interventions. This study aimed to assess the attitude, help-seeking behavior, and associated factors of the Jimma zone community towards mental health and mental health problems.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study design was employed. A respondent from each of the 423 systematically selected households was interviewed using a pretested, structured, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Accordingly, a community's attitude towards mental health problems was measured by the adapted version of the "Community Attitude towards Mentally Ill questionnaire (CAMI)" and help-seeking behavior was measured by a general help-seeking questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 23.0 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to determine the independent predictors of the outcome variable.ResultsAmong the total 420 study participants (197,46.9%) of them had an overall unfavorable attitude towards mental illness. The majority (153,36.4%) of the study participants agreed on avoidance of anyone who has mental health problems and (150,35.7%) participants described marrying a person with a mental health problem or recovered from the problem is foolishness. Moreover, regression analysis showed family monthly income (AOR = 0.24, 95%CI:0.06-0.91) and occupational status (AOR = 0.57, 95%CI:0.34-0.96) were found to be the predictors of community attitude towards mental health problems. The study finding also revealed a significant number of the respondents preferred non- medical treatment approaches.ConclusionAlmost half of the respondents had an unfavorable attitude towards mental health problems and the traditional and religious help-seeking intention was high. This suggests the need for designing effective community based mental health interventions to improve the general public attitude and help-seeking behavior towards mental health problems.

Project description:BackgroundAlthough early intervention is crucial in interrupting the development of eating disorders, little is currently known about help-seeking behaviours among individuals experiencing eating disorder symptoms. Given that eating disorders typically begin early in life, it is necessary to investigate the processes employed by children, adolescents, and emerging adults when seeking services for troubling symptoms. This is a growing concern as the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in the number of individuals engaging in disordered eating behaviours. This scoping review explores the current state of the literature for evidence on how youth with eating disorder symptoms seek help, with the aim of better understanding how to identify and treat more individuals earlier.MethodsUsing scoping review methodology, we searched seven databases for studies published from January 2000 to April 2021 that reported on help-seeking attitudes, behaviours, and healthcare utilization patterns for children and adolescents (< 18 years), emerging adults (18-25 years), and a mixture of these groups (< 25 years). Seven thousand, two hundred, and eighteen articles were identified for review. After duplicates were removed, three reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts and reviewed full-text articles. Findings related to help-seeking activity were extracted from the 62 articles that were ultimately included in this scoping review.ResultsStudy findings were summarized into help-seeking patterns (i.e., rates, types) as well as factors ranging from the individual level to society that influenced help-seeking behaviour. Many youth meeting eating disorder criteria were not seeking help. Notable barriers to help-seeking included poor mental health literacy, experiences with healthcare providers who failed to detect and lacked knowledge about eating disorders, minimal support from family and friends, and stigma surrounding eating disorders and help-seeking for mental health concerns.ConclusionsThe results of this scoping review can be used to inform early intervention and health promotion program development. Future research should focus on the help-seeking attitudes and activities among underrepresented groups with eating disorders (e.g., men, ethnic and gender minorities), the perspectives of family and other supporters in the help-seeking process for youth, and retrospective accounts from adults with lived experience of an eating disorder. Plain English summary Addressing and interrupting eating disorder-related thoughts and behaviours as soon as possible, with the help of a mental health professional, leads to better outcomes for youth struggling with an eating disorder. However, little is known about what prompts youth to talk about their weight, body, or eating concerns with someone-like their parent, friend, teacher, guidance counsellor, or primary care practitioner. This review explores the available published research on help-seeking patterns and preferences among youth with eating disorder concerns. Our team followed a standardized process to find 62 relevant articles for this paper. Of note, many young people who reported eating disorder concerns were not seeking help for themselves. Feeling supported by family and their primary care provider, understanding the signs of an eating disorder, and not feeling shame for reaching out for help reportedly led youth to speak up about their concerns. The findings have clinical implications for learning effective ways to help youth feel safe to speak freely about their eating disorder-related concerns, which enhances the chances of intervening early and catching symptoms before they worsen.

Project description:The present data set contains self-report data of German individuals participating in a longitudinal data assessment via online surveys conducted in the year preceeding the general elections in Germany. Data of N = 122 individuals are included in the data set. Those individuals participated in an initial, extensive survey between November 2020 and February 2021 (T1) as well as in a final survey after the general German elections, thus, between the end of September 2021 and October 2021 (T3). Of those individuals, n = 93 additionally participated in an intermediate survey in between the previously mentioned ones between the end of May and the end of June 2021 (T2). Next to the assessment of sociodemographic variables, information on (political) news consumption, such as the frequency of being confronted with counter-attitudinal news, and on political attitudes, for example via current voting intentions for one of the major German parties, were assessed in the initial survey (T1). In the intermediate survey (T2), participants provided information on recent political news consumption habits including the frequency of being confronted with counter-attitudinal news, current voting intentions for one of the major German parties, as well as on extraordinary events that happened recently and impacted their voting intentions. In the final survey (T3), sociodemographic variables and actual voting decisions in the general German elections in 2021 were assessed. Moreover, variables on recent political news consumption habits, including the frequency of being confronted with counter-attitudinal news, and extraordinary events that happened recently and impacted voting decisions were assessed. Finally, a detailed self-report questionnaire retrospectively assessing political news consumption for the time between participation in the initial survey (T1) and the final survey (T3) was completed by participants. Not only did this questionnaire assess which online and offline news channels (e.g., TV, print, news websites) participants used. Besides, the questionnaire included items on how many outlets per channel were used and the frequency of being confronted with counter-attitudinal news within each channel. This data set is provided alongside the present article to be used for further investigations of the stability of voting intentions, thus, political attitudes. Moreover, a content analysis of the open responses on which extraordinary events happened and impacted voting intentions/decisions can provide further knowledge on factors influencing voting intentions and their variability versus stability.

Dataset Information

Do values and political attitudes affect help-seeking? Exploring reported help-seeking for mental health problems in a general population sample using a milieu framework.

Aims

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Do values and political attitudes affect help-seeking? Exploring reported help-seeking for mental health problems in a general population sample using a milieu framework.

Similar Datasets

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