title: Healthy minds for country youth: help-seeking for depression among rural adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess depression recognition, barriers to accessing help from health professionals and potential sources of help for depression among rural adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two rural secondary schools in south-east South Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four secondary school students aged 14 to 16 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Depression recognition was measured using a depression vignette. Helpfulness of professionals, barriers to seeking help and help-seeking behaviours for depression were assessed by self-report questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Depression was identified in the vignette by 73% (n = 54) of participants. Participants indicated that it would be more helpful for the vignette character to see other health professionals (98.6%, 95% CI, 92.0-100.0%) than a doctor (82.4%, 72.1-89.6%). Barriers to seeking help from doctors and other health professionals were categorised into logistical and personal barriers. Participants agreed more strongly to personal (mean = 2.86) than logistical barriers (mean = 2.67, P < 0.05) for seeing a doctor. Boys and girls responded differently overall, and to personal barriers to seeing an other health professional. Sources of help were divided into three categories: formal, informal and external. Informal sources of help (mean = 4.02) were identified as more helpful than both formal (mean = 3.66) and external sources (mean = 3.72, P < 0.001). Gender differences were observed within and between the three sources of help categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognising symptoms of depression was demonstrated in this study. Helpfulness of professionals, barriers to seeking help and potential sources of help for depression were identified. More work is required for improving depression literacy and providing effective interventions specifically for rural adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Greater Green Triangle, University Department of Rural Health, Deakin University and Flinders University, Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia. andrea.hernan@greaterhealth.org
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernan
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Philpot
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edmonds
authors.forename: Prasuna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D012424:Rural Population; D012574:Schools; D012649:Self Concept; D013021:South Australia; D013334:Students