How family practice patients view their utilization of mental health services

This study examines to what extent family practice patients perceive themselves as being willing to seek help for personal problems. The study further explores whether this willingness is related to various demographic characteristics. Finally, it investigates family practice patients' preferences in their choice of a source of help for personal problems. Patients in the waiting room of a private family practice center were approached to participate in the study at random times during one month (n = 145). For each item of a list of common personal problems, patients were asked to judge how likely they would be to seek professional help, their preferred setting for this help, and their preference of a professional provider. Respondents' sex was found to be the only demographic characteristic that affected willingness to seek help. "The family physician's office" and "the family physician" were the preferred choices mainly for personal problems associated with physical manifestations. Other providers were chosen for predominantly social or emotional problems. Most respondents stated that they would be more likely to seek help from a mental health professional who worked along with the family physician than they would be to seek help from a professional housed elsewhere.