Erschienen in:
01.12.2007 | ORIGINAL PAPER
Adult and peer involvement in help-seeking for depression in adolescent population
A two-year follow-up in Finland
verfasst von:
Sari Fröjd, MSc, Prof. Mauri Marttunen, MD, DrMedSci, Prof. Mirjami Pelkonen, PhD, Prof. Bettina von der Pahlen, PhD, Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino, MD, DrMedSci, BSc
Erschienen in:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
|
Ausgabe 12/2007
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Abstract
Help-seeking among adolescents and adults is often perceived as a process involving only the health care system and the individual suffering from psychiatric symptoms. The present study attempted to create a model of help-seeking also including members of adolescents social networks. A prospective follow-up design included a school-based survey on all ninth grade students (mean age 15.5) during the academic year 2002–2003 in two Finnish towns (N = 3,278; response rate 94%); and a follow-up conducted two years later (N = 2,080; response rate 63%). The respondents were assessed for current depression and help-seeking for depression and other mental health problems each time. In the follow-up they were asked if they felt that they need help for depression and if their mother, father, sibling, peers, boy- or girl-friend or teacher had been worried about changes in their mood or behaviour. The associations of perceived need for help, help-seeking behaviour and concerns of different people, with depression at baseline were studied. Stepwise logistic regression models were computed to find the best predictors for help-seeking for depression. One third of the adolescents meeting R-BDI-13 criteria for depression at baseline still perceived a need for help for depression two years later but only a fifth of them had sought professional help. Depression at baseline was significantly associated with concerns about changes in mental health or behaviour among parents and significant others; and the concerns of mother, peers and teacher were among the best predictors of recent help-seeking for depression. To ensure adequate intervention for depressed adolescents without a social network capable of prompting referral, routine screening for depression should be applied in primary health care services and specialized services for adolescents.