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Information-Seeking and Use of Primary Care Mental Health Services Among Gulf Coast Survivors of Natural Disasters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2020

Nia F. Mason Open the ORCID record for Nia F. Mason [Opens in a new window]  and
Diane B. Francis
Nia F. Mason*
Affiliation:
Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Diane B. Francis
Affiliation:
Department of Communication, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Nia F. Mason, Manship School of Mass Communication, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA70803 (e-mail: [email protected]).
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Abstract

Objectives:

This study sought to understand factors related to weather-related disaster survivors’ health information and mental health-care–seeking behaviors.

Methods:

In November 2017, we conducted a quantitative survey of 170 Gulf Coast residents who experienced weather-related disasters. The survey assessed how individual and psychosocial factors affect health-care–seeking behavior.

Results:

Nearly 66% of participants reported a high frequency of depression and/or anxiety symptoms, yet only 39% saw a medical professional. Of participants who visited a medical professional, 76% sought information from nonmedical sources. Seeking medical care was strongly correlated with seeking information from nonmedical sources and previous healthcare experiences, but not with fear and stigma.

Conclusions:

Positive communication and strong support systems have the potential to mitigate the reluctance people have in seeking help for mental health problems. Although it is discouraging that few people seek professional care, it is promising that participants were not avoiding care due to fear of being stigmatized. Less opposition to mental health care by survivors offers opportunity for mental health professionals to treat the psychological problems survivors experience. Providing necessary information may make headway to mental health care where it is greatly needed.

Keywords

communicationcommunity mental health servicesnatural disasters
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 15 , Issue 6 , December 2021 , pp. 735 - 740
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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