Genis Seera1, Sidharth Arya2, Sujata Sethi3, Neshda Nimmawitt4, Woraphat Ratta-Apha5. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. Electronic address: genis.wangt@gmail.com. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Pt BDS University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, India. Electronic address: draryasid3188@gmail.com. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Pt BDS University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, India. Electronic address: reachsujatasethi@gmail.com. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. Electronic address: nim.sunnyday.palm@gmail.com. 5. Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. Electronic address: woraphatr@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To compare the rate of help-seeking from mental health professionals (MHPs) and other sources of help for mental health problems of medical students in Thailand and India, and explore factors associated with help-seeking from MHPs. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in two medical schools in Thailand and India. Students were asked to rate their preferences for each source of help on a Likert-scale basis. Mental health status was measured by the General health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Attitudes and stigma toward mental illness were collected using the Mental illness clinician's attitude scale: medical student version or MICA v2. RESULTS: 593 students participated in the survey. The percentage of students who chose to seek help from any source was lower in Thailand than in India. 81 % of students in India site chose to seek help from MHPs, compared to 66 % in Thailand site. The risk factors for avoiding seeking help from MHPs in Thailand were history of alcohol use (OR = 1.88, p = .014) and total GHQ score (OR = 1.11, p = .006), whereas having GHQ score ≥ 2 was a significant risk factor in India (OR = 2.20, p = .044). Total MICA score, which reflected overall attitude toward mental illness, was not associated with seeking help from MHPs. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems and factors associated differed between medical students in Thailand and India. A high GHQ score was a common risk factor of not seeking help from MHPs in both countries.
OBJECTIVES: To compare the rate of help-seeking from mental health professionals (MHPs) and other sources of help for mental health problems of medical students in Thailand and India, and explore factors associated with help-seeking from MHPs. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in two medical schools in Thailand and India. Students were asked to rate their preferences for each source of help on a Likert-scale basis. Mental health status was measured by the General health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Attitudes and stigma toward mental illness were collected using the Mental illness clinician's attitude scale: medical student version or MICA v2. RESULTS: 593 students participated in the survey. The percentage of students who chose to seek help from any source was lower in Thailand than in India. 81 % of students in India site chose to seek help from MHPs, compared to 66 % in Thailand site. The risk factors for avoiding seeking help from MHPs in Thailand were history of alcohol use (OR = 1.88, p = .014) and total GHQ score (OR = 1.11, p = .006), whereas having GHQ score ≥ 2 was a significant risk factor in India (OR = 2.20, p = .044). Total MICA score, which reflected overall attitude toward mental illness, was not associated with seeking help from MHPs. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems and factors associated differed between medical students in Thailand and India. A high GHQ score was a common risk factor of not seeking help from MHPs in both countries.
Authors: Mateusz Babicki; Krzysztof Kowalski; Bogna Bogudzińska; Patryk Piotrowski Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-21 Impact factor: 3.390