Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T17:58:57.024Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Attitudes towards help seeking behaviour and professional psychiatric help in Slovenia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

S. Roškar ,
M. Bračič ,
U. Kolar ,
N. Konec Juričič ,
K. Lekić ,
T.G. Alenka ,
B. Dobnik ,
V. Poštuvan  and
M. Vatovec
S. Roškar
Affiliation:
NIJZ, National Institute of Public Health, Department of Health promotion and disease prevention, Ljubljana, Slovenia
M. Bračič
Affiliation:
NIJZ, National Institute of Public Health, Department of Health promotion and disease prevention, Ljubljana, Slovenia
U. Kolar
Affiliation:
NIJZ, National Institute of Public Health, Department of Health promotion and disease prevention, Ljubljana, Slovenia
N. Konec Juričič
Affiliation:
NIJZ, National Institute of Public Health, Department of Health promotion and disease prevention, Ljubljana, Slovenia
K. Lekić
Affiliation:
NIJZ, National Institute of Public Health, Department of Health promotion and disease prevention, Ljubljana, Slovenia
T.G. Alenka
Affiliation:
NIJZ, National Institute of Public Health, Department of Health promotion and disease prevention, Ljubljana, Slovenia
B. Dobnik
Affiliation:
National Associaton for Quality of Life, OZARA, Department for Intervention Programs, Ljubljana, Slovenia
V. Poštuvan
Affiliation:
Institute Andrej Marušič, Slovene Centre for Suicide Research, Koper, Slovenia
M. Vatovec
Affiliation:
Slovene Association for Suicide Prevention, Posvet counselling Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Introduction

Knowledge about signs and treatment of mental illnesses is often not enough to seek professional help. Hence, it is important to gain understanding of other determinants, i.e. attitudes, stigma, which influence help-seeking behaviour.

Objectives

Based on Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour, we aimed at collecting data of determinants known to be related to behavioural action, in our case help seeking.

Aims

To examine how attitudes, stigma and normative believes influence help seeking behaviour and whether these determinants differ in relation to demographic data and mental health indicators of the respondents’ region.

Methods

A representative sample of adult Slovene population (n = 594) was recruited via an on-line invitation. They were asked to (i) provide basic demographic data (region, age, gender, mental health history…) and (ii) to complete the inventory of attitudes toward seeking mental health services. The inventory variables (attitudes, knowledge and stigma) were linked to demographic data and mental health indicators in Slovenia.

Results

The respondents dispose of good knowledge of where and when to seek help either for themselves or others. However, the readiness to seek help was significantly lower, in particular so in men, younger, single persons and respondents from regions with lower mental health indicators. Accordingly, stigma was significantly higher pronounced in the same groups. More than 50% of respondents have already experienced mental distress, however only 25% have sought help.

Conclusions

Reasons for this “help seeking gap” should be further scrutinized. Future interventions shall be focused on changing attitudes and destigmatization mental health issues.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
e-Poster walk: Prevention of mental disorders and promotion of mental health
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 41 , Issue S1: Abstract of the 25th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2017 , pp. S183 - S184
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.