title: Beliefs About Help Seeking for Mental Disorders: Findings From a Mental Health Literacy Study in Singapore.
abstract: This study investigated beliefs about help seeking, treatment options, and expected outcomes for alcohol abuse, dementia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia, by using a vignette-based approach.
  
  
  
  The Mind Matters study was a comprehensive, population-based, cross-sectional survey conducted among Singapore residents (N=3,006) ages 18 to 65 to establish the level of mental health literacy. Questions were asked about whom the person in the vignette should seek help from, the likely helpfulness of a broad range of interventions, and the likely outcome for the person in the vignette with and without appropriate help.
  
  
  
  "Talk to family or friends" was the most common source of help recommended for alcohol abuse (30.1%), depression (54.2%), and schizophrenia (21.5%), and "see a doctor or general practitioner" was the most recommended for dementia (53.8%) and OCD (26.8%). Help-seeking preferences were significantly associated with age, gender, ethnicity, and income and with having a personal experience of or knowing someone with a mental disorder similar to that described in the vignette. Respondents rated seeing a psychiatrist as the most helpful intervention (88.4%) and dealing with the problem on his or her own as the most harmful (64.6%). Most respondents (79.3%) indicated that the condition of the person in the vignette would worsen if appropriate help was not sought.
  
  
  
  Most respondents recommended seeking help for mental disorders from informal sources, such as family and friends. Targeted intervention strategies to improve mental health literacy related to help seeking, treatment beliefs, and effectiveness of evidence-based treatments are needed in Singapore.
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Picco
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Edimansyah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abdin
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Siow Ann
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Shirlene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Janhavi A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vaingankar
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Vathsala
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sagayadevan
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Kian Woon
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: Except for Prof. Kwok, the authors are with the Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore (e-mail: louisa_picco@imh.com.sg ). Prof. Kwok is with the Division of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Mythily
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D012846:Singapore / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult