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Help-seeking for mental health problems among young physicians: is it the most ill that seeks help? - A longitudinal
Reidar Tyssen1, Jan Ole Røvik, Per Vaglum
1Dept. of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Sognsvannsveien 9, PO Box 1111, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. tyssen@basalmed.uio.no
Objectives:
The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of self-reported mental health problems and help-seeking among young physicians, and identify predictors of seeking help.
Methods:
A prospective cohort sample of Norwegian medical students (N = 631) were assessed in their final semester (T1), and in the first (T2) and fourth (T3) postgraduate year. The average observation period was 3.6 years.
Results:
The prevalence of mental health problems that needed treatment over the preceding year was observed to have increased from 11% at T2 to 17% at T3. There was no increase in help-seeking. Longitudinally, 34% reported that they needed treatment on one or several occasions. Adjusted predictors of help-seeking were perceived level of mental health problems and a reality weakness personality trait.
Conclusion:
Those who sought help had higher levels of emotional distress than those who did not. However, higher reality weakness scores predicted lower help-seeking and, therefore, may be a risk factor for avoiding necessary care.
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