Perceived barriers to mental health treatment in metropolitan China.
OBJECTIVE
This community-based study examined perceived barriers to the initiation of mental health treatment among individuals with anxiety, mood, and alcohol use disorders.


METHODS
Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 5,201 respondents in Beijing and Shanghai using the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Perceived barriers to initiating treatment from various health practitioners were examined among 211 individuals who met criteria for 12-month DSM-IV disorders and did not receive treatment.


RESULTS
Most respondents (92%) with DSM-IV disorders perceived a low need for treatment. Among respondents who perceived a need, 47% reported structural barriers and 83% reported attitudinal barriers. Respondents who had severe mental disorders and perceived a need reported more structural barriers (72%) than attitudinal barriers (65%). Lack of knowledge about service availability was the most common structural barrier.


CONCLUSIONS
Future studies should examine the reasons for perceived low need for treatment and other treatment barriers among people with mental disorders.
Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Sing
S
Lee
Wan-jun
WJ
Guo
Adley
A
Tsang
Yan-ling
YL
He
Yue-qin
YQ
Huang
Zhao-rui
ZR
Liu
Ming-yuan
MY
Zhang
Yu-cun
YC
Shen
Ronald C
RC
Kessler
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult