title: Symptom recognition and help seeking for depression in young adults: a vignette study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many young people with psychological problems do not seek help. Recognition of problems and knowledge of appropriate sources of help may increase the likelihood of help seeking. This study aimed to explore whether young adults recognised depressive symptoms in a vignette, and how they thought a young person might respond to these symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A postal survey was sent to 3,004 young people aged 16-24 in SW England. The survey included a two-part vignette; the first part depicted mild depressive symptoms, and the second part depicted severe depressive symptoms. Open-ended questions exploring symptom recognition and illness behaviour were answered by 1,125 respondents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe depressive symptoms were recognised by 61.4% of respondents. Young men, particularly those from deprived backgrounds were less likely than women to recognise a mental health problem. Men were also less likely to suggest seeing a doctor than women. 64.7% of the respondents who recognised a mental health problem suggested seeing a doctor, however, only 16.4% thought a severely depressed person actually would see a doctor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whilst the majority of young people recognised symptoms of severe depression, the gap between perceived options for help and proposed help seeking behaviour is clinically relevant. The sociodemographic groups at greatest risk of suicide are the least likely to recognise depression, highlighting a need to develop interventions targeting men, particularly those from deprived backgrounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK. emily.klineberg@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klineberg
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biddle
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gunnell
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult