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Factors Influencing Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Help Among East and Southeast Asian Immigrant and Refugee Women

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  • Kenneth Fung

    (Department of Psychiatry, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, ken.fung@uhn.on.ca)

  • Yuk-Lin Renita Wong

    (School of Social Work, York University, Canada)

Abstract

Background and aims: It has been recognized that Asian immigrants in North America have lower rates of mental health service utilization. From the perspective of cross-cultural psychiatry, one of the most important cultural factors may be differences in the explanatory model of illness. This article examines the relationship of causal beliefs, perceived service accessibility and attitudes towards seeking mental health care. Method: The sample consisted of 1000 immigrant and refugee women from five ethnic minority communities in Toronto, including three Chinese Canadian communities (Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan), Korean Canadians and Vietnamese Canadians. Data were acquired by a self-administered structured questionnaire. Quantitative data were analysed using MANOVA, ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The five ethnic minority groups of women differed in their explanatory models about mental illness and distress. In the full model where other variables were controlled for, the most significant factor predicting attitudes towards seeking professional help was perceived access for all groups except the Hong Kong Chinese. In the last group, those subscribing more to a Western stress model of illness had a more positive attitude towards seeking professional help, while those subscribing more to supernatural beliefs had a more negative attitude. Age and education were not significant predictors. Conclusion: Perceived access is one of the main factors that influence attitudes toward seeking professional help. Explanatory models may predict help-seeking behaviours if perceived access to such services is available.

Suggested Citation

  • Kenneth Fung & Yuk-Lin Renita Wong, 2007. "Factors Influencing Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Help Among East and Southeast Asian Immigrant and Refugee Women," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 53(3), pages 216-231, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:53:y:2007:i:3:p:216-231
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764006074541
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Williams, Brian & Healy, David, 2001. "Perceptions of illness causation among new referrals to a community mental health team: "explanatory model" or "exploratory map"?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 465-476, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kim van Zoonen & Annet Kleiboer & Pim Cuijpers & Jan Smit & Brenda Penninx & Peter Verhaak & Aartjan Beekman, 2016. "Determinants of attitudes towards professional mental health care, informal help and self-reliance in people with subclinical depression," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 62(1), pages 84-93, February.
    2. Wendy Diana Shoesmith & Awang Faisal Bin Awang Borhanuddin & Pauline Yong Pau Lin & Ahmad Faris Abdullah & Norhayati Nordin & Beena Giridharan & Dawn Forman & Sue Fyfe, 2018. "Reactions to symptoms of mental disorder and help seeking in Sabah, Malaysia," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 64(1), pages 49-55, February.
    3. Irene Chung, 2010. "Changes in the Sociocultural Reality of Chinese Immigrants: Challenges and Opportunities in Help-Seeking Behaviour," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 56(4), pages 436-447, July.
    4. Mathew Mathews, 2011. "Assessment and Comparison of Culturally Based Explanations for Mental Disorder Among Singaporean Chinese Youth," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 57(1), pages 3-17, January.
    5. Usha George & Mary S. Thomson & Ferzana Chaze & Sepali Guruge, 2015. "Immigrant Mental Health, A Public Health Issue: Looking Back and Moving Forward," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-25, October.

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