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Attitude and help-seeking behavior of the community towards mental health problems

Author

Listed:
  • Yonas Tesfaye
  • Liyew Agenagnew
  • Gudina Terefe Tucho
  • Susan Anand
  • Zewdie Birhanu
  • Gutema Ahmed
  • Masrie Getenet
  • Kiddus Yitbarek

Abstract

Background: Community attitude towards mental health problems and help-seeking behavior plays a major role in designing effective community based mental health interventions. This study aimed to assess the attitude, help-seeking behavior, and associated factors of the Jimma zone community towards mental health and mental health problems. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed. A respondent from each of the 423 systematically selected households was interviewed using a pretested, structured, and interviewer-administered questionnaire. Accordingly, a community’s attitude towards mental health problems was measured by the adapted version of the “Community Attitude towards Mentally Ill questionnaire (CAMI)” and help-seeking behavior was measured by a general help-seeking questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 23.0 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to determine the independent predictors of the outcome variable. Results: Among the total 420 study participants (197,46.9%) of them had an overall unfavorable attitude towards mental illness. The majority (153,36.4%) of the study participants agreed on avoidance of anyone who has mental health problems and (150,35.7%) participants described marrying a person with a mental health problem or recovered from the problem is foolishness. Moreover, regression analysis showed family monthly income (AOR = 0.24, 95%CI:0.06–0.91) and occupational status (AOR = 0.57, 95%CI:0.34–0.96) were found to be the predictors of community attitude towards mental health problems. The study finding also revealed a significant number of the respondents preferred non- medical treatment approaches. Conclusion: Almost half of the respondents had an unfavorable attitude towards mental health problems and the traditional and religious help-seeking intention was high. This suggests the need for designing effective community based mental health interventions to improve the general public attitude and help-seeking behavior towards mental health problems.

Suggested Citation

  • Yonas Tesfaye & Liyew Agenagnew & Gudina Terefe Tucho & Susan Anand & Zewdie Birhanu & Gutema Ahmed & Masrie Getenet & Kiddus Yitbarek, 2020. "Attitude and help-seeking behavior of the community towards mental health problems," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-13, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0242160
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242160
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carla Abi Doumit & Chadia Haddad & Hala Sacre & Pascale Salameh & Marwan Akel & Sahar Obeid & Maria Akiki & Elie Mattar & Najla Hilal & Souheil Hallit & Michel Soufia, 2019. "Knowledge, attitude and behaviors towards patients with mental illness: Results from a national Lebanese study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, September.
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