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Gender and self-reported mental health problems: predictors of help seeking from a general practitioner
- Authors:
- DOHERTY D. Tedstone, KARTALOVA-O’DOHERTY Y.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Health Psychology, 15(1), February 2010, pp.213-228.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The main topic of this paper is an examination of the socio-demographic and health status factors that predict help seeking for self-reported mental health problems from a general practitioner (GP), for adults of both genders, because it has been reported previously that many people do not seek help when experiencing psychological distress. Using data from the HRB National Psychological Wellbeing and Distress Survey in Ireland in 2005 and 2006, 382 participants who had reported mental health problems in the previous year, with approximately 60% female and 40% male, were selected. The findings showed gender differences in the models of predictors between males and females with more factors influencing attendance at the GP for males and females. Only access to free health care and social limitations predicted female attendance, a range of seven socio-demographic and psychological factors influenced male attendance – self-reporting embarrassment, limitations in physical activities, martial status, employment status, access to free health care, location/size of household, and level of education. This, say the authors, suggests a ‘gender sensitive approach’ to mental health policies and promotion and to preventative practice programs would be well placed in GP surgeries and at a primary care level generally.