Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors
Objectives: To explore help-seeking behaviours of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms and factors that influence these behaviours. Methods: A survey of residents living in communities in Wuhan, China was conducted using stratified random sampling. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), t...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-11-01
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| Series: | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X19300501 |
| _version_ | 1818336243230965760 |
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| author | Shu Fang Xiao Qin Wang Bing Xiang Yang Xiu Jun Liu Diana L. Morris Si Hong Yu |
| author_facet | Shu Fang Xiao Qin Wang Bing Xiang Yang Xiu Jun Liu Diana L. Morris Si Hong Yu |
| author_sort | Shu Fang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: To explore help-seeking behaviours of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms and factors that influence these behaviours. Methods: A survey of residents living in communities in Wuhan, China was conducted using stratified random sampling. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), the Actual Help-Seeking Questionnaire (AHSQ) and a socio-demographic questionnaire were completed by participants. Descriptive statistics were analyzed. A multiple linear regression model was used to explore factors associated with help-seeking behaviours. Results: Of the 1785 respondents, 672 (37.6%) reported that they experienced depressive symptoms during the past year, and of these respondents, 517 (76.9%) indicated that they sought assistance. Among help-seeking sources utilized by participants, informal help was sought most frequently (72.9%), followed by hotline/Internet assistance (14.3%), mental health professionals (MHPs) (7.9%) and general physicians (GPs) (3.7%). The results of multilinear regression analysis showed that participants who were adults (aged 25–64 years), attended junior and high school (7–12 years education), and lived in urban areas were more likely to seek additional assistance for their depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Mental health promotion and education efforts are needed to improve the public’s mental health literacy and to promote appropriate utilization of informal sources of assistance in managing depressive symptoms such as a hotline or the Internet. Further interventions need to be considered to reinforce use of social supports and mental health professionals, especially in rural areas. Keywords: Depressive symptoms, Help-seeking behaviour, Social support, Wuhan communities |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T14:36:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5055f54e96bf46a7b8ea23f083fd9096 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0010-440X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T14:36:13Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Comprehensive Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-5055f54e96bf46a7b8ea23f083fd90962022-12-21T23:41:43ZengElsevierComprehensive Psychiatry0010-440X2019-11-0195Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factorsShu Fang0Xiao Qin Wang1Bing Xiang Yang2Xiu Jun Liu3Diana L. Morris4Si Hong Yu5School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, ChinaSchool of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, ChinaSchool of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, China; Corresponding author at: School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, No. 115 Donghu Road, Wuchang, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071 China.Affiliated Mental Health Center, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong, University of Science & Technology, ChinaFlorence Cellar Associate Professor of Gerontological Nursing, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, University Center on Aging & Health, Case Western Reserve University, USASchool of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, ChinaObjectives: To explore help-seeking behaviours of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms and factors that influence these behaviours. Methods: A survey of residents living in communities in Wuhan, China was conducted using stratified random sampling. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), the Actual Help-Seeking Questionnaire (AHSQ) and a socio-demographic questionnaire were completed by participants. Descriptive statistics were analyzed. A multiple linear regression model was used to explore factors associated with help-seeking behaviours. Results: Of the 1785 respondents, 672 (37.6%) reported that they experienced depressive symptoms during the past year, and of these respondents, 517 (76.9%) indicated that they sought assistance. Among help-seeking sources utilized by participants, informal help was sought most frequently (72.9%), followed by hotline/Internet assistance (14.3%), mental health professionals (MHPs) (7.9%) and general physicians (GPs) (3.7%). The results of multilinear regression analysis showed that participants who were adults (aged 25–64 years), attended junior and high school (7–12 years education), and lived in urban areas were more likely to seek additional assistance for their depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Mental health promotion and education efforts are needed to improve the public’s mental health literacy and to promote appropriate utilization of informal sources of assistance in managing depressive symptoms such as a hotline or the Internet. Further interventions need to be considered to reinforce use of social supports and mental health professionals, especially in rural areas. Keywords: Depressive symptoms, Help-seeking behaviour, Social support, Wuhan communitieshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X19300501 |
| spellingShingle | Shu Fang Xiao Qin Wang Bing Xiang Yang Xiu Jun Liu Diana L. Morris Si Hong Yu Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors Comprehensive Psychiatry |
| title | Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors |
| title_full | Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors |
| title_fullStr | Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors |
| title_short | Survey of Chinese persons managing depressive symptoms: Help-seeking behaviours and their influencing factors |
| title_sort | survey of chinese persons managing depressive symptoms help seeking behaviours and their influencing factors |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X19300501 |
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