title: Online Information Searches and Help Seeking for Mental Health Problems in Urban China.
abstract: In recent years, the Internet has emerged as an alternative information source on mental health problems. Yet, the profile of the typical Internet help seeker is to be determined. Based on data from a household survey of 2558 Beijing residents, the study investigates online information searches and help seeking for mental health problems. Multinomial logistic regressions are estimated for respondents' access to the Internet, and mental-health-related information searches and help seeking on the Internet for the whole community sample and the most psychologically distressed subsample. The study identifies a digital divide in online help seeking for mental health issues based on age, migration and hukou status, and socio-economic factors. Youth and high socio-economic status are significant predictors of Internet access and use. Among the whole community sample, rural-to-urban migrants are less likely to have access to the Internet and search information or seek help online. Among the most psychologically distressed subsample, urban-to-urban migrants are significantly more likely to have access to the Internet and search information or seek help online. Given the shortage of mental health professionals in China, online information dissemination and guided self-help, if properly designed, could offer a means to reach large numbers of individuals in a cost-effective manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Management, Guangdong University of Technology, 161 Yinglong Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510520, Guangdong, China. shizhan_nc@gdut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shizhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D000066505:Help-Seeking Behavior; D006801:Humans; D057226:Information Seeking Behavior; D020407:Internet; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008875:Middle Aged; D057386:Search Engine; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: China; Digital divide; Help seeking; Information search; Mental health; Survey