title: Patterns and Predictors of Dropout from Mental Health Treatment in an Asian Population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies examining mental health treatment dropout have primarily focused on Western populations and less so on Asian samples. The current study explored the prevalence and correlates of mental health treatment dropout across the various healthcare sectors in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was utilised from the Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS), a cross-sectional epidemiological survey conducted among an adult population (n = 6616) aged 18 years and above. Statistical analyses were done on a subsample of respondents (n = 55) who had sought treatment from the various treatment providers (i.e. mental health, medical, social services and religious healers) in the past 12 months. The World Mental Health (WMH) Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0 (CIDI 3.0) was used to determine diagnoses of mental disorders, chronic medical disorders and service utilisation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of those who had received treatment, 37.6% had ended treatment prematurely, 23.2% had completed treatment and 39.2% were still in treatment. The religious and spiritual sector (83.1%) had the highest dropout, followed by the general medical sector (34.6%), mental health services sector (33.9%) and the social services sector (30%). Marital status emerged as the only sociodemographic factor that significantly predicted treatment dropout-with those who were married being significantly less likely to drop out than those who were single.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall dropout rate across the various healthcare sectors was comparable to past studies. While the small sample size limits the generalisability of findings, the current study provides useful insight into treatment dropout in an Asian population.
authors.affiliation: Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
authors.forename: Vathsala
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sagayadevan
authors.forename: Mythily
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
authors.forename: Edimansyah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abdin
authors.forename: Janhavi Ajit
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vaingankar
authors.forename: Siow Ann
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012947:Social Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D026443:Spiritual Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult