Helpseeking and access to mental health treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To identify predictors of helpseeking and use of mental health treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) using the behavioral model of health service use.


METHODS
Data were drawn from the 1996 National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day. Participants (n=14 860) completed screening measures providing information about demographics, mental disorders, helpseeking, and treatment experiences for OCD.


RESULTS
Previous use of mental health treatment was associated with comorbid panic disorder [odds ratio (OR)=1.6 (1.3-1.98)], while minority racial status [OR=0.7 (0.5-0.9)] emerged as a barrier to receiving care among individuals with OCD. Among those who had never received mental health care, comorbid panic disorder [OR=2.0 (1.5-2.8)], post-traumatic stress disorder [OR=1.7 (1.3-2.4)], and suicidal ideation [OR=1.7 (1.2-2.3)] increased readiness to seek treatment while being employed [OR=0.7 (0.5-0.9)], and feeling one could handle the problem on his/her own [OR=0.5 (0.3-0.7)] decreased readiness to seek help for the first time.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that access to treatment for OCD may not be equally accessible to all in need by revealing non-disease related factors (e.g. race, health beliefs) that have a significant impact on decisions to seek and use mental health treatment.
Department of Epidemiology, Maliman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. rdg66@columbia.edu
Renee
R
Goodwin
Karestan C
KC
Koenen
Fred
F
Hellman
Mary
M
Guardino
Elmer
E
Struening
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index