[Patients' explanation models for their illness and help-seeking behavior].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate some variables that affect patients' explanation models for their illness and help-seeking behavior.


METHODS
Sampling was done between 2002 and 2003 among psychiatric patients who were admitted to university hospital in Malatya. Diagnoses of schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder were made according to DSM-IV criteria. A semi-structured interview based on a short questionnaire was conducted for collecting patient demographic data, and patient explanatory model for illness and help-seeking behavior.


RESULTS
The 88 patients that were evaluated included 50 males and 38 females. The mean age of the patients was 31.22+/-9.29 years (range: 16-57 years). In explaining their disease, 46.6% of the patients cited family trouble, 42% their inner problems, 19.3% economic difficulties, and 10.2% cited the consequences of supernatural forces. Among the patients, help-seeking behavior included visiting traditional and religious healers (51.1%), presenting to medical doctors (19.3%), and visiting a psychiatrist (65.9%).


CONCLUSIONS
The study revealed that patients with low-level education were more prone to seek religious solutions and those with high-level education tended to visit a psychiatrist. It has been suggested that psycho-educational programs for patients and families will be very useful in ameliorating the problems created by the disease.
Unal
Süheyla
S
Inönü U Tip Fak., Psikiyatri AD., Malatya, Turkey. sunal@inonu.edu.tr
Kaya
Burhanettin
B
Yalvaç
H Dilek
HD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology