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Factors influencing care seeking for a self-defined worst panic attack
1Department of Family and Community Medicine of the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, 78229-3900, USA. katerndahl@uthscsa.edu
Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.)
|March 29, 2002
Summary
Most individuals experiencing panic attacks consider medical care but rarely seek mental health services. Understanding why people avoid mental health treatment is crucial for improving care access.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Only 60% of individuals experiencing panic attacks seek treatment.
- Many seek care at emergency departments, indicating a gap in appropriate mental healthcare seeking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document care-seeking behaviors among community-dwelling adults after panic attacks.
- To identify determinants influencing treatment seeking for panic attacks.
Main Methods:
- In-depth structured interviews with 97 randomly selected adults meeting DSM-III-R criteria for panic attacks.
- Assessed contemplation and use of medical, alternative, and family care sources during their worst panic attack.
Main Results:
- 79% considered medical or mental health sites; 52% used them.
- General medical sites (emergency departments, family physicians) were contemplated more than mental health sites.
- Access barriers, symptom perception, and family factors influenced care-seeking decisions.
Conclusions:
- Contemplation and use of mental health services for panic attacks were infrequent.
- Further research into care-seeking determinants is needed to address treatment gaps.