title: Knowledge and preferences regarding schizophrenia among Chinese-speaking Australians in Melbourne, Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to better understand the knowledge of schizophrenia, preferences regarding professional help, medication and treatment methods among Australians of a Chinese-speaking background.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cluster convenience sampling method was adopted in which subjects were taken from the four main areas in cosmopolitan Melbourne where most Chinese people live. A total of 200 Chinese-speaking Australians participated in the study. They were presented with a vignette describing an individual with schizophrenia and were then asked questions to assess their understanding of schizophrenia and their preferences regarding professional help, medication and treatment methods. A comparative approach was used to compare our findings with those of a previous study on the mental health literacy of Australian and Japanese adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the Australian and Japanese samples, a much lower percentage of Chinese-speaking Australians (15.5%) was able to identify the vignette as a case of schizophrenia/psychosis. A higher percentage of the Chinese-speaking Australians believed that professionals, and particularly counselling professionals, could be helpful for the person in the vignette. A higher percentage of the Chinese-speaking Australian and Japanese samples believed that close family members could be helpful, and expressed more uncertainty about the usefulness or harmfulness of certain medications than the Australian sample. A higher percentage of the Chinese-speaking Australians than the Australian and Japanese samples endorsed inpatient treatment for the person in the vignette. About 22, 17, 19 and 28% of the Chinese-speaking Australian participants, respectively, rated 'traditional Chinese medical doctors', 'Chinese herbal medications', 'taking Chinese nutritional foods/supplements' and 'qiqong' as helpful. Many perceived 'changing fungshui' and 'traditional Chinese prayer' to be harmful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Campaigns to increase the schizophrenia literacy of Chinese-speaking Australians are needed and must take into consideration the aforementioned socially and culturally driven beliefs so that culturally relevant education programmes can be developed.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Social Work, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Level 5, 234 Queensberry Street, Carlton, Melbourne, VIC 3053, Australia. fwong@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Fu Keung Daniel
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Yuk Kit Angus
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia / Q000208:ethnology; D003469:Culture; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
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