Publication: Help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems in medical students: Studies in Thailand and India
5
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Issued Date
2020
Resource Type
File Type
application/pdf
ISSN
18762018
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-85094202343
Rights
Srinakharinwirot University
Rights Holder(s)
Scopus
Bibliographic Citation
Asian Journal of Psychiatry. Vol 54, (2020)
Suggested Citation
Seera G., Arya S., Sethi S., Nimmawitt N., Ratta-Apha W. Help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems in medical students: Studies in Thailand and India. Asian Journal of Psychiatry. Vol 54, (2020). doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102453 Retrieved from: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14740/5508
Author(s)
Abstract
Objectives: To compare the rate of help-seeking from mental health professionals (MHPs) and other sources of help for mental health problems of medical students in Thailand and India, and explore factors associated with help-seeking from MHPs. Methods: Cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in two medical schools in Thailand and India. Students were asked to rate their preferences for each source of help on a Likert-scale basis. Mental health status was measured by the General health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Attitudes and stigma toward mental illness were collected using the Mental illness clinician's attitude scale: medical student version or MICA v2. Results: 593 students participated in the survey. The percentage of students who chose to seek help from any source was lower in Thailand than in India. 81 % of students in India site chose to seek help from MHPs, compared to 66 % in Thailand site. The risk factors for avoiding seeking help from MHPs in Thailand were history of alcohol use (OR = 1.88, p =.014) and total GHQ score (OR = 1.11, p =.006), whereas having GHQ score ≥ 2 was a significant risk factor in India (OR = 2.20, p =.044). Total MICA score, which reflected overall attitude toward mental illness, was not associated with seeking help from MHPs. Conclusions: The rate of help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems and factors associated differed between medical students in Thailand and India. A high GHQ score was a common risk factor of not seeking help from MHPs in both countries. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
Subject(s)
Adult
Alcohol consumption
Article
Attitude scale
Attitude to illness
Controlled study
Cross-sectional study
Female
General Health Questionnaire
Help seeking behavior
Human
India
Likert scale
Male
Medical school
Medical student
Mental disease
Mental health
Mental health care personnel
Mental illness clinician attitude scale
Priority journal
Questionnaire
Risk factor
Stigma
Thailand
Young adult
Alcohol consumption
Article
Attitude scale
Attitude to illness
Controlled study
Cross-sectional study
Female
General Health Questionnaire
Help seeking behavior
Human
India
Likert scale
Male
Medical school
Medical student
Mental disease
Mental health
Mental health care personnel
Mental illness clinician attitude scale
Priority journal
Questionnaire
Risk factor
Stigma
Thailand
Young adult