title: Help-seeking pattern of psychiatric outpatients in urban China.
abstract: The subjects of this study (N = 1297, male = 600, females = 697) were first time adult patients (aged 20 to 59 years) who sought psychiatric treatments at a mental health centre in Shanghai over a period of 12 months. Compared with adult population in Shanghai, the patients were of higher educational levels and were over-represented by the unmarried, separated, or divorced. A higher proportion of the patients were in their early adulthood. The most common presenting problems were sleep disturbance, somatic symptoms, and paranoid ideation. About 25% of the patients took their own initiative to seek psychiatric treatments and more than half (55.2%) were referred by their spouse or relatives. Decision for psychiatric treatments was made after a long delay since the first onset of illness (average = 2.7 years). Consistent with findings reported in other Chinese communities, their paths to seeking psychiatric treatments were diverted primarily through Western-style or traditional Chinese physicians. Stigmatization associated with psychiatric illness and lack of trust in psychiatric services were major deterring factors in seeking psychiatric treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, University of Hong Kong, China. kwboey@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Boey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health