Help-seeking behaviour in patients with anxiety disorder and depression.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate help-seeking behaviour among persons with anxiety disorder and depression based on self-rating in a Norwegian population (the HUNT study).


METHODS
Of the 92 100 inhabitants aged 20-89 years invited, 65 648 (71.3%) took part. Among them 60 869 (66.1%) persons delivered valid ratings on hospital anxiety and depression scale, and had answered the requested help for mental problems question.


RESULTS
Among HUNT attenders 13% of those with depression and 25% with anxiety disorders had been help seekers. Help seeking was only non-significantly associated with demographic or other variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Most persons with anxiety disorder and/or depression in the population had not sought help for their mental disorders, but the disparity between use and need of health service must not be overassessed. Improvement of the help-seeking rate for common mental disorder should have high priority in mental health politics.
Roness
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Department of Psychiatry, Haukeland Hospital, Bergen, Norway. atle.roness@helse-bergen.no
Mykletun
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Dahl
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results