Do 'alternative' help-seeking strategies affect primary care service use? A survey of help-seeking for mental distress
2008

Help-Seeking Strategies for Mental Distress in a Multi-Ethnic Community

Sample size: 268 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Rüdell Katja, Bhui Kamaldeep, Priebe Stefan

Primary Institution: Centre for Psychiatry, Barts & the London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London

Hypothesis

Do alternative help-seeking strategies affect primary care service use?

Conclusion

Primary care service use was strongly correlated with lay and community help-seeking.

Supporting Evidence

  • Talking to family about distress was positively associated with primary care service use.
  • Utilising traditional healers was also linked to increased primary care service use.
  • Severity of distress correlated with higher primary care service use.

Takeaway

People often talk to family or use traditional healers when feeling mentally distressed, and this can help them see a doctor.

Methodology

Participants were recruited from GP practice registers and community groups, with a focus on self-reported help-seeking behavior and primary care use.

Limitations

The study was conducted in deprived areas, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

Participants included Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean, and White British individuals, with a focus on those experiencing mental distress.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p < .001

Confidence Interval

CI 3.9–64.5

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-8-207

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication