Adult and peer involvement in help-seeking for depression in adolescent population: a two-year follow-up in Finland.
Help-seeking among adolescents and adults is often perceived as a process involving only the health care system and the individual suffering from psychiatric symptoms. The present study attempted to create a model of help-seeking also including members of adolescents social networks. A prospective follow-up design included a school-based survey on all ninth grade students (mean age 15.5) during the academic year 2002-2003 in two Finnish towns (N = 3,278; response rate 94%); and a follow-up conducted two years later (N = 2,080; response rate 63%). The respondents were assessed for current depression and help-seeking for depression and other mental health problems each time. In the follow-up they were asked if they felt that they need help for depression and if their mother, father, sibling, peers, boy- or girl-friend or teacher had been worried about changes in their mood or behaviour. The associations of perceived need for help, help-seeking behaviour and concerns of different people, with depression at baseline were studied. Stepwise logistic regression models were computed to find the best predictors for help-seeking for depression. One third of the adolescents meeting R-BDI-13 criteria for depression at baseline still perceived a need for help for depression two years later but only a fifth of them had sought professional help. Depression at baseline was significantly associated with concerns about changes in mental health or behaviour among parents and significant others; and the concerns of mother, peers and teacher were among the best predictors of recent help-seeking for depression. To ensure adequate intervention for depressed adolescents without a social network capable of prompting referral, routine screening for depression should be applied in primary health care services and specialized services for adolescents.
Fröjd
Sari
S
Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Tampere, 33014, Finland. sari.frojd@uta.fi
Marttunen
Mauri
M
Pelkonen
Mirjami
M
von der Pahlen
Bettina
B
Kaltiala-Heino
Riittakerttu
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010379:Peer Group; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires