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Determinants of help-seeking behavior in depression: a cross-sectional study
Anke M Boerema1,2, Annet Kleiboer3,4, Aartjan T F Beekman4,5
1Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology, Section Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.m.boerema@vu.nl.
BMC Psychiatry
|March 25, 2016
Summary
People with major depression who experience symptoms longer are more likely to seek help. However, personal stigma is linked to less help-seeking, highlighting a need for increased public understanding of depression.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health Research
- Clinical Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Effective depression treatments exist, yet many individuals do not seek or receive help.
- Understanding barriers and facilitators to help-seeking in major depression is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate predisposing and need factors associated with help-seeking behaviors in individuals diagnosed with major depression.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 102 adults with major depression recruited from the general population in the Netherlands.
- Inclusion criteria included age (18+), high depression screening score (K10 > 20), and a confirmed major depression diagnosis (CIDI 2.1).
Main Results:
- 65% of participants had sought help in the past six months.
- A longer duration of depressive symptoms was significantly associated with increased help-seeking.
- Lower levels of personal stigma were also correlated with a higher likelihood of seeking professional help.
Conclusions:
- The duration of symptoms is a key factor influencing help-seeking in major depression.
- Personal stigma acts as a significant barrier, reducing the likelihood of individuals seeking necessary treatment.
- Promoting societal knowledge and understanding of depression is vital to reduce stigma and encourage greater help-seeking behaviors.
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