title: Help-seeking intentions and subsequent 12-month mental health service use in Chinese primary care patients with depressive symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the factors associated with 12-month mental health service use in primary care patients with depressive symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional followed by 12-month cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 179 adult patients were recruited from the waiting rooms of 59 primary care clinics across Hong Kong to complete a questionnaire which screened for depression. 518 screened-positive participants formed the cohort and were telephoned at 3, 6 and 12 months to monitor mental health service use.
  
  
  METHODS
  ▸ Help-seeking preferences; ▸ Intention to seek help from a healthcare professional; ▸ 12-month mental health service use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, when asked who they would seek help from if they thought they were depressed, respondents preferred using friends and family (46.5%) over a psychiatrist (24.9%), psychologist (22.8%) or general practitioner (GP; 19.9%). The presence of depressive symptoms was associated with a lower intention to seek help from family and friends but had no effect on intention to seek help from a healthcare professional. Over 12 months, 24.3% of the screened-positive cohort reported receiving services from a mental health professional. Factors associated with service use included identification of depression by the GP at baseline, having a past history of depression or other mental illness, and being a public sector patient. Having a positive intention to seek professional help or more severe depressive symptoms at baseline was not associated with a greater likelihood of receiving treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health service use appears to be very low in this setting with only one in four primary care patients with depressive symptoms receiving treatment from a psychiatrist, GP or psychologist over a year. To help reduce the burden of illness, better detection of depressive disorders is needed especially for patients who may be undertreated such as those with no prior diagnosis of depression and those with more severe symptoms.
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Weng Yee
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3171-6792
authors: WY
authors: Chin
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Kit T Y
authors: KT
authors: Chan
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Cindy L K
authors: CL
authors: Lam
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: T P
authors: TP
authors: Lam
authors: Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors: Eric Y F
authors: EY
authors: Wan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: EPIDEMIOLOGY; PRIMARY CARE
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